Ribbons
by Sabaine
Summary: I am a spirit, like those who call themselves Guardians. But I will never be able to call myself that. The title itself holds all the characteristics that I could never bring; Fun, Hope, Wonder, Memories, Dreams. I see the reincarnations of these virtues often, but they don't see me. JackFrostxFemaleOC. Dark romance. Sequel now up: Ribbons, tangled.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay I've written a JackFrostxOC before and I felt it went quite well. This one is also a romance, but a little different. I can't seem to find a FF like it, though that may not be true. But here we are. If you want me to continue, you will have to review! I am not psychic and I will not know these things unless you tell me :3**

**Chapter 1 – Tradition.**

I've never thought of things to be as fragile as they truly are. It has taken me many years to come to realise this. Although when it did occur, it was so many decades ago. I have been around for longer than I can remember. I am a spirit, like those who call themselves Guardians. But I will never be able to call myself that. The title itself holds all the characteristics that I could never bring; Fun, Hope, Wonder, Memories, Dreams... Nothing that I could preserve. I see the reincarnations of these virtues often, but they don't see me. No. The only people who see me I know for a little time. My world is nothing like theirs. Nothing as bright and full of love...

I'm pulled out of my depressing spiral as someone crosses my path. Speaking of love, there goes Cupid. This reincarnation is a young woman, with a stylishly short urban haircut. She doesn't even acknowledge my existence. Not that I'm surprised, none of them do. They know I exist they just refuse to believe in me. I'm sitting on a park bench would you believe? I watch with interest as she makes a dramatic entrance, rolling my eyes as she does so. The previous incarnation was a man, I liked him. We only spoke once, but he was very nice, he didn't insist in showing off. But that was more than a few centuries ago. But time will pass, there will be another Cupid. But not for me, I've seen them come and go. But no-one will come for me. I can't and won't be replaced.

Wow, sorry, I have just realized what a bummer I'm being. Well, as Cupid does her thing, I'm going to sit here and quietly write everything I think down. Not like a diary, more, more like a story. Who knows? I may be let go from this world. It's highly unlikely, the man in the moon said so, but it's a thought that sometimes perks me up. I've got to admit, the incarnations of spirits are lasting longer and longer. Some of them have been around for well over 500 years. I mean the man in the moon must be getting better at this. Well, I suppose that a story warrants an introduction, seeing as most stories have a main character. That's me. What to tell you? It's tricky, I tell you too much and you'll hold pre-conceived ideas in your mind. Tell you too little and you'll get bored. Let's keep this simple yes?

I am a woman. I have long hair, I'm not some exotic beauty, or some girl next door type. I have a nice face I suppose. The last Cupid said so. I have green eyes, and I stand at about five foot seven. My main features are the fact that I have large wings, not feathered, not like a bat. I don't know how to explain them. They're like smoke, they swirl and twist, they hold a basic shape of bird's wings. They're very large, about ten foot across, but at times you could swear that you couldn't see them. They turn from white to black, depending on their mood. Yeah they kinda have a life of their own. I got a real scare a few centuries back, I was longing for some basic interaction, when my wings melded from my back and landed on the grass in front of me. They then turned into a kitten and a pup. One black, one white. From then, they'll turn into various animals and keep me company. Most of the time, they're just my wings. Weird huh. I know, I know, it's not the usual. But nothing about me is normal.

As I'm writing my wings decide to keep me company. Cupid has done her business and fucked off, thankfully. She made a very obvious point of brushing past me. They flop to the floor, one of them darkens, the other goes white. The black one curls up on my lap, shaped like a little dragon, the other becomes a griffon and chases butterflies... I feel like I've lost you a little. Sorry. This is my day to day life, I am essentially a shadow. They know I exist, but I'm not a part of their li-

Wait. Oh. Oh god. It's time.

My wings vanish from where they were and materialise on my spine as I leap into the air. I was hoping this wouldn't happen for another couple of years, but I'm guessing things have turned to the worst. But as I follow my internal compass I realise that I'm not going to where I expected. The air thickens as snow begins to fall and it begins to make sense. It has become late afternoon almost evening. My breath becomes heavier as I fly faster, I will arrive before I am needed, I always do. But this time, I want to arrive as early as possible. Buildings swerve closer as I pass, my muscles are beginning to burn, but I persevere. I can feel another spirit nearby. But they are not my concern.

A few minutes later I drop into a deep snow drift. I am on the outskirts of where I thought I would be. My heart pangs at what I see. In the nearby woods I can see her. Her gown was dusted with the powdery snow, her body frail and weak. My wings become kittens, she loves cats. I walk toward her, my trainers not leaving footprints on the snow. She turns weakly to face me as she hears me coming closer.

'It's you...' she speaks. I crouch down in front of her.

'Hello child,' I say, her skin is as pale as the snow. I can see that time truly was of the essence.

'Will mama and papa be happy?' She asks. I have to stop my eyes from welling as I nod. The kittens clamber on her lap. Her eyes light up as she tries to stroke them. She smiles and turns to face the small pond that sat opposite her. 'I'm glad you …. are here...' I kneel into the white snow and place my hands on hers. She looks a little scared which is only to be considered.

'I have always been here for you, Ella.' I say reassuringly. No matter how many times I am called, this will never get easier. My kittens mewl and snuggle under her hands wanting to be petted.

'Will it hurt?' She says her voice quavering. Her lips are turning blue and her body is shaking. I lean forward and wrap my arms around the young girl's fragile frame. I feel her breathe in deeply, then she stills. Closing my eyes I pull her essence from her body, the child's soul is in my arms. With a strength she didn't possess before she hugs me back. I feel my heart crumble as she whispers in my ear.

'Yes, they are waiting,' I whisper back. She smiles and giggles, her hair has returned, her skin bright and flushed. The soul is how you truly look, and she looks like she is free from pain. The other spirit that I could feel earlier is getting closer. But I'm not worried, they never pay any attention to me. She lets me go and twirls on the spot, her soul was translucent and floated in the wind.

'It didn't hurt,' she said looking down on herself. I step in the way and press my finger to her lips. With a wave of my hand, I call on my power and create a doorway. It flickers before filling with colour. Everyone's door is different. Ella's was pink and had little white butterflies over the varnish. 'Do I have to go?' She says holding my hand.

'You can stay, but I won't be able to open the door again. They're waiting Ella,' I open the door and true to my word, there they were with open arms. Ella squeals and runs forward, but she turns back to hug my waist.

'Thank you!' She says bubbly. I nod and watch as she walks through the door. I sigh and take her life line in my hand severing her link to this world. As the ribbon like link breaks the door flickers and disappears. My wings return and settle on my back. I though everything was okay until the door completely vanished. There in front of me was a young man, with a blue hoodie and white hair. He was looking straight at me.

Oh fuck.

**I hoped you liked it! I know it was a little different. If you want me to continue, you will have to review! I am not psychic and I will not know these things unless you tell me :3**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, what a lovely review, thank you soaringphoenix86! It really made me happy. Thank you again! Thank you AshtheCreature :3 Well this chapter will explain a little more, I hope. Lol. My fingers have a life of their own.**

**Chapter 2 – Duty**

I can feel my breath halt in my chest. He is looking straight at me. I don't know what spirit he is, only that he's a few feet away. My wings roil and twist as my mind staggers. I honestly don't know what to do, normally this wouldn't be a problem. To my horror he moves towards me. No, not to me, to Ella. 'No!' I say moving my hand to block his path. 'You can't!' The humans have to find her. I've done my part. He frowns twirling the stick in his hand, well, it's more like a staff. He ignores me a tries to move to her again. 'No! Don't touch her!' He looked at her body and glared at me.

'What did you do?' He demanded quietly. This spirit was powerful, I could feel it. He's been around for a few years. The more I reach out with my power, the more I know about him. To my surprise he's the only incarnation. I shake my head and turn away.

'Just, don't touch her.' I say as my back is turned. I can't be sure he'll listen to me, but it will have to do. The sight of this young man is unnerving. I can feel my heart beating faster than it normally should, not just with the anxiety of him actually paying attention to me. I spread my wings and was about to leap when I felt his hand grab my sleeve. I turned with a look on my face, he drew his hand back quickly but his staff twirled in his hands.

'What did you do?' He repeated, he looked at Ella and then back to me, 'are you working for Pitch?' He asked, his staff rippled the air around it. He took a defensive stance. That's it! I have had enough! They all just fucking assume! The thoughts that were going through my mind must have echoed on my face, for he moved in front of Ella and crouched slightly as if readying for my attack.

'Excuse me?' I say with a tart edge in my voice. I have been on this earth longer than Pitch, longer than him, and yet because they don't take the time, I'm the bad guy?! No fucking way. 'Who the hell do you think you are?!'

'Answer the question!' He replies angrily. Wow, he looks really pissed, he must really care about kids. I don't blame him. I admit from certain angles it doesn't look good. They can't see the doors or souls that I can.

'No! You listen to me you little twerp! I did nothing wrong! I did the exact opposite! You have no idea what it's like! No idea!' To my shame I can feel the tears that I had been holding back, begin to trickle down my cheeks. 'She was in pain, alone. You have no fucking idea do you!' I can't explain myself properly. I'm repeating the same damn things. His face softens, it seems that my reaction has made him realise that I'm not a threat. The pity on his features is like a blade. My anger grows. 'You're all the fucking same. How dare you! You don't know anything! Now, you will leave her as she is. The humans have to find her. It is not our place. Leave her be.' My voice held a tone that couldn't be disobeyed, it echoed with a metallic edge. I hated to use my power on him, but he couldn't ruin what had to happen. He moved from his defensive stance and leant on his staff. He didn't look happy, but at this moment in time I didn't care.

'Who are you?' He asked again.

I turn from him and snap open my wings. My parting comment wasn't very kind. 'Like you actually care,' I spat, before I leapt into the air.

…

I'm so angry at myself right now. The first proper contact in well centuries and I fuck it up. Instead of just calmly explaining myself to him, and hoping that he understands; I explode and scream at him. Using my powers on him at the same time. Well done me. I flump onto my sofa. Oh yeah, I'm at home. It only took me a few hours flying to get here. My home is a tree, well several trees, no seriously. It took years and years to achieve. I've always felt better in the woods. I don't know why. Well, I'm in the forest, the trees have been bent and grown to make a large area inside. There is an opening, but only if you know where. I've added a floor and insulated the walls, from the outside it just looks like a load of tree trunks. On the inside it's quite stylish. I don't bother with electric, although I do like the hand held consoles of today. Inside, I have a large bed, a sofa, and my table, several cabinets are placed around the walls. I'll go into more detail about them later.

I've grabbed a packet of crisps from under my bed – It's where all my dry food is kept. I should probably explain something. I'm Death. No, not suicidal. I am the Grim Reaper. Cheery huh. I should also say that I have a multiform. Yeah this is gonna be hard to swallow. They say that you walk with Death every day. Well people do. I've long given up trying to appear as what people think should be with them, I just appear as myself. I am several hundred places around the earth at the moment. But the real me does the duty. I only go to people who are going to have trouble moving on. Like Ella. Her parents died about five years ago. She was diagnosed with Cancer about three years ago. I would visit her in the hospital every week. I thought she would have a couple more years, but I guess not.

I munch on my crisps. I eat a stupid amount of food. I have to, to keep my energy up. Oh also, the typical stereotype of the long black cloak and scythe and that, I can do it when I wish. At the moment though, I prefer jeans and a long sleeved top. I sigh, what the fuck am I going to do. Although really, I don't know why I'm worrying. This has happened before. They generally just ignore me after they witness what I do. They assume the worst. I finish my crisps and get up, I've still got work to do. My wings morph and do their own thing. I plonk at the table and pull a sheet of paper towards me. I take a pencil and being to sketch. My pencil glows lightly. Ella's portrait begins to form. As she was, not ill or dying. I find this method the easiest way to complete the process. I used to use egg timers, but they took up too much space. Around the border my pencil sketches the varnish of her door, butterflies around her face. My eyes glitter as I use my power. I'm transferring the energy that I took from her life line, the very last essence of her and sealing it. It doesn't take long and soon the picture is finished. That's when I open one of my cabinets and and place the picture inside with the others. Her picture glitters and a ribbon of light grows and links to the other ribbons that the other portraits are producing. They all earth in a small gem that I keep inside the cabinet. It's completely harmless, just a discharge of energy. I can use the energy if I want, but I normally just leave it. I catch some sleep and try to not think about what happened earlier that evening.

Too soon in the morning I feel the pull of another soul.

…

This time it's an elderly man, he's surrounded by his family and his passing is peaceful. He doesn't want to leave his family. Which I can understand. We walk from the room and outside. I have used to have trouble passing through walls but practice makes perfect they say. It is snowing lightly as we leave. By the time we get to the bottom of his garden, his soul has shifted into a thirty year old man, he is handsome and kind.

'I do not wish to leave my wife,' he explains. I flick a pebble into his pond.

'You have to understand, I cannot open the door once I leave you. Ever. You will walk the earth until the end of time,' I reply. He sighs a long breath and sits beside me. 'Once I sever the link, it cannot be undone. You will be alone.'

'Will you appear for my wife?' He says toying with a blade of grass.

'I might do. I don't know. She might be able to feel your presence if you stay. I cannot truly know. But it is your choice.' I say. He thinks for a minute. I let him take his time. For us, time has almost stood still. His family is large and they all clearly loved him. I cannot help the sting of jealously.

'What awaits behind the door?'

'I do not know myself, whatever you wish. For some people it's the family that they've lost. For others it's whatever they believe the afterlife carries,' I say soothingly. The snow is falling thicker. Again my senses pick up the presence of another spirit. But that's not unusual, there's plenty of us about. I twitch my wings. 'What will it be?'

'I will stay. I will watch over my children and their children. And one day, if I am lucky my wife might join me,' he says with a smile.

I reach out and touch his chest, his life line comes away with my fingers. 'Are you sure?' I say.

'Yes.'

I nod. With a flick of my wrist I sever his link. The glowing trail wraps around my finger, it shapes into a ring. I slip the ring off my hand and pass it to him. It is his chain, he will wear it forever more as it seals him to the earth. He takes it gracefully and his soul fades from my view. My work here is done. I will see him again in time, I hope for his sake that his wife will need my help in passing. But that's something I won't know until it happens. I take my leave and take off. It wasn't the perfect end, but it was an end nonetheless. I twirl in the sky, diving through a cloud, feeling the mist on my face. My heart had lifted from the depressive state earlier. Things happen I suppose, though it's annoying that I can't get that young man out of my mind. Well, he might be a little older than me actually, even though I've been around longer. He was nice looking; Wait a second! What the hell am I thinking? Ugh I've been alone for far too long. A lump of snow hit me in the back of the head.

'What the fuck?!' I exclaim.

The man from yesterday floated beside me. He wore at tight smile. I scowl at him and bank to the left, away from his presence. He hasn't got any wings so I don't know how he's flying but I don't care at this moment. I'm still pissed at him, although looking back on it I don't know why. He follows easily and that pisses me off more. He's holding onto his staff and lazily drifts up to me.

'What the hell do you want?' I spit.

'I was watching.' He said.

'That's not creepy at all,' I mutter. He chuckles, surprising me. I didn't expect that. Don't get me wrong I know I'm a little rusty when it comes to talking to other people, my time with souls doesn't last long. Sometimes it'll be days or even months before I'm needed. I don't really know what to do. It's not going to be good. This much I know.

'I've asked a few people about you, since yesterday. You're a hard person to find,' he said flipping onto his back. I roll my eyes, here we fucking go. I had this with Mother Nature when she stumbled on me working. She also asked around, gathered the wrong idea, and then gave me this whole self righteous speech. About how I should watch myself, and how she would be on my case. I had to restrain myself from bursting her bubble, I could have sent on to the other world with a mere flick of my hand. It's one of the reasons I have rules. Strict rules.

'Oh really? Good for you,' I reply bitterly. That's when I thought he was freak out on me. But to my surprise, he doesn't. He simply gives me a look.

'You know they wouldn't tell me a lot,' he shrugged. I roll my eyes again. The wind has picked up, cutting through my cheap cotton t-shirt. We fly in silence, I thought he was going to carry on talking but he didn't. This guy doesn't do a lot of things I expect. Either he's really unpredictable or I've become far too cynical. I hate to say it, but I'm guessing it's the latter. I sigh looking over at him.

'Look, is there something you actually want? A reason for you to be here?' I say. I just want to go home, put my feet up and eat take out. A fuck load of take out. If he's going to do the whole speech thing, I would rather he got it over and done with. I shiver, I'm not impervious to the cold. In fact, I quite like it. Maybe flying through that cloud wasn't the best idea, normally it wouldn't matter. But doing the duty takes a lot out of energy. He didn't look like he was going to answer, so I shrug to myself and pull in my wings, dropping rapidly. He followed me easily. I saw a high rooftop and managed to land gracefully. Trust me when I say that learning how to land, with even a little of my dignity took me years and years.

'You're very defensive aren't you?' He laughs while leaning against his staff. I shake out my wings, the snow is still falling, but at least the wind has died down. I cross my arms and tuck my fringe behind my ears, he simply smirks at me. 'No wonder anyone knows anything,' he added. I frown in his direction, I turn my back and look down into the small town that we had landed in. I can't really describe how I feel at this moment. Confused I suppose. And a little angry. My eyes drift over the town square beneath us. It was busy with a market, I smile wistfully. Jack wanders beside me, he looks at me pointedly.

'No.' I say, 'I'm not defensive, they've just never bothered to ask.' My voice is bitter, I don't blame them for it though. I'm tired, this is going nowhere. 'Who are you? What do you want?'

'Y'see I'm a Guardian, I want the truth,' he says casually. See, now it makes sense about why he was so angry yesterday. I shrug my shoulders.

'Is that supposed to make me tell all?' I say back, shaking my hands a little for mock fear. I was right, he is going to give me the whole bravado thing. Bastard. He smiles as if he finds my reluctance funny.

'Let's play a game,' he suggests. He hopped on the small ledge that ran around the edge of the roof.

'Let's not,' I scowl. I don't want to play games. Let's not beat around the bush okay? I wish he would just get on with it. Seconds later there was a weird crackling noise. His staff glowed and I felt coldness up to my knees. I looked down to see my feet encased in thick ice. The bastard had literally frozen me to the fucking roof! 'What the fuck?! Let me go this instant!' I curse. I could break free quite easily. It's thick but I'm strong. The last thing I need to do is make things worse.

'Not until you answer some questions, come on play a game with me,' he said with a cheeky smile. It made my heart skip, he's got guts. I'll give him that. A little of the confusion and anger abates. For the moment. What the hell. I'll play along. What harm could it do?

'What ever, fine. Ask.'

'I'm Jack Frost. What's your name?' He says twirling his staff and giving me a small bow. His question actually had me stumped. I don't have a name. I mean, I must have had one, but for the life of me I can't remember. I haven't had to use it in centuries.

'Um, I don't know,' I mutter to myself. I'm the Grim Reaper, Death. I don't need a name. He raises a brow at me. 'I don't know! I've never needed one okay?' I say with anger. Great. Now that's going to really annoy me. I must have had a name, but years of not using it doesn't make it easy to remember.

'Well, everyone has a name, here we'll think of one now. How about...' I gape at him. This has completely thrown me off track. I mean, I feel like I'm on a bus, and I've missed my stop. By miles. 'What about Alice?' I stick out my tongue in grimace. Alice? That doesn't suit me at all. Ugh. He laughs at my reaction. I pout without thinking. He clicks his fingers. 'I know! How about Zoe?' He says it triumphantly. I roll it around my tongue, ''Zoe.'' Hmmmm. It'll do. It's not like I'm ever going to use it again after this conversation.

'Fine, Zoe it is. Hello Jack, I'm Zoe,' I say sarcastically with a mock curtsey. 'Now will you unfreeze me?'

He winks, causing a pink blush to appear on my cheeks. 'Not yet. Besides it's your turn to ask me a question.' He smiles. I sigh but try to think of one.

'What type of Spirit are you?' It's been bothering me.

'I'm fun.' He says simply. That explains a lot! I nod, yeah, that definitely explains everything. See it's been a few years since Pitch tried his uprising. I had heard that there was a new Guardian. Only because of Sandman, who got quite a shock when I wouldn't let him pass on. That was an interesting couple of days to be sure. Jack leant toward me, I fluttered my wings awkwardly. That pink tinge appeared again to my annoyance. 'What Spirit are you?' He said with a cocked brow.

I give him a dark look. 'You don't want to know,' I reply. I've got to admit, what we have right now is nice. It has been a long time since I simply chatted with someone.

'It can't be that bad,' he laughed.

'Y'know how Pitch is the embodiment of Fear?' I said gravelly. I will tell him, it's only fair. Better he find out from me, then someone else. He nodded. 'Well, some of us are worse. I drew the short straw.' He looks a little worried at my words. I know what's going to happen when I tell him. I break the ice around my legs. I don't want to be pinned to one spot. He looked shocked at my actions but didn't say anything.

'You can't be worse,' he says with only a little doubt in his voice.

'Jack. I'm Death.' I reveal. His eyes widened. 'I ferry souls to the other side. I-'

'You kill?'

My anger re-surfaces. 'No! I don't kill! I take away the pain, the suffering. Only when it is time. That's what you lot don't understand! Like that girl Ella, she was riddled with Cancer, she was dying! For months I visited her. Comforting her!' I felt my tears well in my eyes as I spoke about her, 'letting her know that she wasn't alone. That when she died, even though she had no family, she wouldn't be alone.' I breathed in heavily to stop the tears.

'You said you were like Pitch,' he repeats my words back at me. I shake my head, that's true. I am like him, but only in the fact that I am feared, for simply being what I am. Jack did seem to be taking this better than I thought. He simply sat while I paced back and forth.

'You just don't get it do you?' I say shaking my head more. Of course he wouldn't get it, he couldn't see what I see. Fine. There's ways around that. I grab his arm and let my power flow into him. He gasped and tried to pull his arm from my grip. 'You want to know me, Jack? There!' I make him face the market below. I know for a fact that he can see everything I see.

And I see Death.

I am everywhere. Behind, beside, in front of everyone. Every single person that has felt the touch of Death in the last second, whether it be a thought, feeling or reality. I am there. A pale shadow of my being followed them. I know that Jack is feeling fear at the moment. This is one of the reasons I don't begrudge the other Spirits. It's a double edged blade. I hate them, but I don't blame them. I sigh and let him go. He falls to his staff. I can feel him staring at me. Tears drop from my eyes as I half turn toward him.

'Zoe-'

'Y'see Jack.' I concentrate and a pale smoke appears between my hands, it takes shape and hardens, a large ornate blade glitters. I twirl my scythe. 'I am the Grim Reaper.' I sigh and it disappears. I try to give him a weak smile. It's not his fault. But I know that to the Spirit of Fun, I've just become another shadow.

'Thanks for the game, Jack Frost,' I whisper as I step over the edge of the building.

**Well if you liked, please drop a review. I will only continue if you do :3**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello :3 Thank you to:**

**Cold nightmare, for both your reviews, they made me giggle 3**

**AshtheCreature, that was my intention. I'm pretty sure being the Grim Reaper would suck pretty badly. It would have perks, but suck.**

**CherriDoll, (love the name) Glad you think so! I've always written lovey dovey stuff so this is a new horizon for me :D **

**Soaringphoenix86, I giggled myself at your mental images. I can't slip anything past you! Well done for picking up the irony of ''Zoe.'' **

**Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, please help yourself to a cookie :3 You deserve them! I hope this chapter does you all justice! Enough from me, time for the chapter. **

**Chapter 3 – Blast from the past.**

He doesn't follow me, for that I am grateful. I may have seemed harsh, but it was the easiest way. I have to fight the instinct to turn and look at him. The worst thing, the absolute worst part of all of this, was that for a couple of minutes there, I let myself think about actually having a friend. Then when he would have found out about me, from someone else. Their twisted words, poisoning his own thought about me, well, let's just say it wouldn't have been pretty. I breathe in heavily. I can feel myself flagging. My shoulders and lungs are burning. Nope. I can't carry on, can't do it. I'm far too tired to fly. I shouldn't have used so much of my power on Jack. Not after doing the Duty.

I stumble onto the pavement. Losing all grace and dignity. My stomach rumbles angrily at me. I pant and wipe my brow. I really have worn myself too thin. I need food and a place to rest for ten minutes or so. To my luck (I suppose) there's a burger joint not five feet from me. I stagger through people, pass through the doors and straight to the kitchen. I scout out a large order and snatch it. Don't even start with the whole, unfair, stealing bullshit. I don't care. I shove it in a bag and walk out. I did look to the sky, just in case. I felt stupid for doing so, but I couldn't help it. I wander for about five minutes, finding a secluded alleyway. I sit on a bin, classy eh? Well I rest on this bin and wolf down the greasy parcel I snabbed. I feel my hunger disappear almost instantly. I try to settle the burning in the back of my throat with a large gulp of fizz. But it's not due to being worn out, it's because I want to cry. But this is neither the time nor place. I'm cold and I'm tired. God, sometimes being a Spirit really is bollocks. My wings protest at me, yeah yeah. Enough all ready. I just need a breather.

…

Jack leapt onto his staff, to see where she had gone. She had a turn of speed on her, that's for sure. She had dropped gracefully from the roof, she did it so quickly, he didn't have a chance to react. He stepped onto the ledge and flicked his staff into his hand. He half considered following her, but after what had just happened maybe that wouldn't be for the best. He guessed that she was going to need some time. She seemed quite upset. He muttered to himself, cursing. It wasn't his intention to upset her at all. Admittedly, yesterday he did assume the worst. That she was up to no good. He tried asking all the other Guardians, but the only one who tried to explain anything was Sandy. But what he said just didn't make any sense. He kept making sand pictures of wings, doors, rings and ribbons. So yeah, to Jack, it was complete nonsense. What he did gather was that she was older than Pitch, and had nothing to do with him. So Jack's curiosity was peaked. This illusive woman, that no-one knew anything about. She reminded Jack of himself. He had spent many years in isolation, if she was older than Pitch, it must have been thousands of years. He felt a little sad at the thought. Older than all the Guardians put together. Jack tapped his staff thoughtfully.

The Guardians. They must know more.

…

'North!' Jack called. Even though he was allowed in the factory and he was part of the team, it didn't stop Phil from trying to throw him out. He easily dodged the Yet, and he currently stood in North's study. He heard the large man walk around the corridor. The door burst open.

'Jack! My friend! What I do for you?' North bellowed. He grabbed Jack around the waist and lifted him up in a rib crushing bear hug. Jack simply waited for his fellow Spirit to put him down. He used to struggle and avoid it, but North would continue until he caught him. Then he would hold him for longer. It was easier this way. Jack wasn't comfortable with the whole contact thing, but he was getting better at it. North dropped him and shouted at an elf for refreshments. 'Now then friend, why the pleasant surprise?' He asked in his thick Russian accent. Jack raised a brow. Surely North knew why he was here.

'North, I found her and we talked,' Jack said. North gave him a look. Jack held his gaze, 'I need to know more about her.'

'Jack. We told you to drop this.' He shook his head, he should have known that his friend would be stubborn. He placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. 'Nothing good will come of this.' Jack frowned and shrugged his hand from his shoulder.

'She's not as bad as you're all making out! Not nearly as bad as you think,' he said, a voice chipping in at the back of his mind. The sight of her following all those people was a little disturbing. But she had no choice in that. It made sense. 'Look, her name is Zoe,' he placed his staff against the wall and flumped into one of the armchairs. North watched him with a worried smile. He knew of the Spirit that Jack spoke of, but he didn't think that Jack would actually talk to her. He sighed and took the seat opposite him.

'There is reasons Jack. She is dangerous,' North warned. Jack looked at him, he wore an expression that he hadn't seen on his friend's features before. He didn't recognise it at all, that worried him more.

'She told me who she is. She didn't hide anything.' Jack defended.

'You step in tricky times Jack, her work is not like ours. She is bound by different rules,' North had to make Jack see his point. He wanted to protect his close family. This woman was unknown to him, the man in the moon said that she was the first. That she would also be the last.

'Why all of this North? Do you even know her?' Jack asked. He was getting a little pissed off. Was this what they were like when he was introduced into their lives? Did they shun him, simply because they didn't know anything about him?

North stood up. 'Jack! I do not need to know. I have seen her work! She is not like us!' North sounded a little panicked. Jack was messing with powers that North didn't understand. He had never heard anything positive about Zoe. Ever. Not until now.

'You're scared of her,' Jack said. He shook his head in disbelief. 'I can't believe it. You think she's just like Pitch. You talk about her, just like you spoke about him! No wonder she showed me, I never thought about it like that. You. You of all people North.'

'What did she show you?' North asked with concern in his voice. Jack rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe that the people he held closest to him, were so shallow minded.

'The truth,' he muttered.

'She is Death. Nothing good will come of this. I don't want to lose you as we lost Cupid. Please forget her Jack,' North begged. Jack sighed. He was getting nowhere. North wasn't going to give him any more information. He nodded and heard North breathe out in relief. But Jack had no intention of giving up that easily. North said that they lost Cupid. He wanted to know what he meant by that. But he wasn't going to ask around and be shrugged away and given different stories. He would only receive cryptic answers and he had enough of those. He was going to go straight to the source.

…

I'm home, finally. I've curled up in my bed, even though it's barely the afternoon. I've eaten almost half a drawer of food from under my bed. You name it, I've just eaten it. Crisps, chocolate, dried fruit. Half of the reason was because I'm fucking drained. The other half is comfort eating. I'm feeling a little depressed, not gonna lie. Luckily for me, I have no issue with weight gain. I would be the size of a fucking house right now. I'm gonna come right out and say it: I miss Jack. Yeah, call me pathetic, but for what? Twenty minutes, almost half an hour, I was normal. Felt normal. For some reason I was able to make him laugh. So that's that. Not going out unless I'm needed.

I hate myself as I feel a tear drip from my nose. My wings morph and crawl under the quilt with me. I don't even open my eyes as they wiggle under my arms, I hug them tightly and cry. For centuries I have only cried for those that passed. But for the first time, in a very long time, I cry for myself. It lasts quite a while, to the point that I give myself hiccups. I hiccup so much I can't help but giggle. God, I'm so sad. I wipe my eyes on my sleeve. Shaking my head as the hiccups continue. My wings appear on my spine and flap restlessly, so much so, my feet leave the ground. Clearly they want me to go outside.

'Aww come on,' I moan. 'Can't I have one say where I just sit in bed and be all depressive?' I swear I can feel the metaphorical look my wings are giving me. They've got a point. I am always a little depressive. It's just been that long.

'Fine. At least let me get changed into something a little warmer.' I mutter, they calm down and I root around trying to find fresh clothing. I brush my hair, slip on a pair of jeans, with a pair of incredibly thick tights on underneath. A pair of boots and a long sleeve t-shirt with a v neck cut. I finish the look with a zip up hoodie. Believe it or not, I wear colours, today I'm in purple and blue. It's quite windy, so I grab my hair bands and wrestle my hair into a pony tail. I'm no stranger to beauty products, I have my fair share. Sometimes a girl just needs to feel pretty. So when one of my wings shift into a starling and fly over to my mascara and bring it back to me I can take a hint. 'Well I'll tell you now. I'm not doing any Snow White moments, kay?' I say with a little smile. Besides as I apply my make-up I feel a little better. It doesn't take me long, I don't wear a lot. Too soon I was ready to leave. I felt a shadow pass me, I spin around.

'Oh. It's you.'

**Dundunduuuun. Who is it? Lol. Please review. I hope you liked it :3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello :3 Thank you to:**

**Cold nightmare, yay! I was worried I was loosing my touch. Thank you 3**

**AshtheCreature, you deserved the cookie :3 Fwaoump. Love your FF! Thank you for settling my worries!**

**MsRoseRuby, I hope I write up to your standards XD Glad to hear that you're enjoying it! Makes me feel happy!**

**Soaringphoenix86, sounds like you have a bundle just like mine! And I get another one one monday! When I created Zoe, I didn't think a lot of people would like her. Seeing as she can be a little emo, but I'm glad to see that people can see past that. I must be writing her correctly! Thankyou!**

**Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, please help yourself to a slice of cake (be naughty) :3 You deserve them! I hope this chapter does you all justice! Enough from me, time for the chapter. **

**Chapter 4 – Here to haunt me.**

Oh for god's sake. I would have to be you. Only two people know where I live. Two. One of them is (unfortunately) intentional. The other tried to kill me. She failed. But she attempted all the same. I must have really pissed off Karma. Because it's my least favourite of the two. I sigh as I cross my arms glaring at my uninvited intruder. I knew I should have put some type of alarm up. That's what I'm going to do today, a bloody alarm system.

'What the fuck are you doing here?' I mutter. Oh it's not the person who tried to kill me. That would have been a welcome surprise. I haven't sparred in years. Oh I should probably say who that was. It was Mother Nature. She obviously found out where I live and then tried to crush me in my own home. That was fun. I had a joyful conversation with her after that.

'I'm hurt, that's the way you treat friends?' He replied.

I roll my eyes, 'that would mean that you are a friend, you forfeited that title a long time ago,' I say. I'm not angry, a little surprised I suppose. Now before you tear my head off for keeping my visitor's name in the dark, hah. Just remember who I am and what I do 'kay? I am not a Guardian, I have my own rules.

'Cheryl,' he purred. I felt my anger stir.

'No. You don't get to call me that,' I say instantly. It's not my name, it's a pet name. Like the title of friend, he gave up the right to use that. I wince at the dark look on his face.

'But you are my darling, my dear one,' he says a hand on his heart. I shake my head.

'Stop it Pitch. Enough. That was a very, very, very long time ago,' I reply. I move to my sofa and perch on the side. Now don't get your knickers in a twist people. It wasn't like that. Me and Pitch, were once, a very long time ago, the only Spirits around. For many, many years. So we grew close. As you would. It might have been more, but he fucked it up. So tough. 'Why are you here? I thought you were trapped by the Guardians?'

He scowls, 'yes, I am. But I am gaining power, this is just a shade of myself. But I thought I would visit you Cheryl. I miss you.'

'You mean you miss trying to manipulate me into doing what you want,' I clarify. I roll my eyes. 'I don't even know why you try.'

'Oh Cheryl, you've been alone for far too long. You were alone for centuries before even I arrived. That's not fair, I just want you to be happy.' He says. I look over at him, of course only innocence rolls off him. But I know better. I suppose before I continue this conversation I should tell you a little about our, uh, relationship. Pitch arrived on the scene, he was nice back then. Don't get me wrong, he did what he did. But who I am to judge him for that? I'm Death for crying out loud. We used to laugh about things. When the Duty was getting me down, he would cheer me up. Remind me that at least I didn't have his job. He was my best friend. I cared deeply about him, for years it was just us. I was different back then. A lot more powerful. Truly something that people feared. I look back on myself, and I can't help but wonder if it was because of me that Pitch came to be. The gems that I keep inside the cabinets? They used to be set in the handle of my scythe. Part of me. So all that energy I used to have. But. I wasn't as nice back then. I was more bitter, (believe me that's possible) and I didn't care for balance.

One day the Guardians appeared. Pitch and I had been drifting apart for a while. I thought we could salvage what we had, but he fucked it. The day the Guardians arrived was the day he asked for my help. To murder them. I said no. That was it. I separated myself from Pitch. Removed my gems and vowed to myself, that I would never become what I used to be like. I made my rules: Never interfere. Never choose sides. Never forget the pain. I've stuck by them ever since.

'Pitch, I am happy. Life is normal,' I lie. He knows I'm lying. He always knew when I fibbed. Bastard.

'Oh I feel we've got off on the wrong foot. Don't I even get a hug? You used to always hug me when we had been apart,' he tilted his head sadly. I know he's just twisting things, but I couldn't help cross the room and bury my head in his chest. He wraps his arms around me, I'm a little smaller than him. The nostalgic feeling that floods me almost makes my knees buckle. He squeezes me tightly. 'Oh Cheryl. It's been too long,' he whispers. I don't even have the heart to tell him off. After everything that's happened today, yeah I need a hug. Even from Pitch. My heart panged, and I breathe in deeply. He lets me go and holds me at arm's length. 'You've gotten prettier,' he smiles.

I laugh at him, 'you're imagining things. Besides I'm wearing make-up, they've made wonderful advances in the last 900 years.' I sigh, 'seriously Pitch, why are you here?' I won't let myself think that he's just here to see me. Things aren't like that any more. A vision of a certain white haired wonder appeared in my mind for a moment.

'Oh, I just wondered if you were going to tell me about your meeting with a Guardian?' He said casually. I roll my eyes and move from his grasp. I knew it. I turn my back to him. 'I didn't know you were so social,' he laughs. Ha, ha, very funny.

'Spying on me are you?' I mutter. My wings stay on my spine. They don't trust him. I trust them more than him, so I stick with their intuition. He chuckles again. Seriously? Have I just become that funny?

'I always keep an eye on you darling. Did you know it was thanks to Frost that I failed?' He says with an iron tone in his voice.

'You know I don't choose sides Pitch. Also I never expected you to be beaten by anyone, but myself. I thought I taught you how to use a scythe better?' I tease. I know it annoys him, but I don't care. He shouldn't be spying on me. To my correct thought he scowls and flicks his hand as if to swat a fly.

'I saw you on that rooftop, very romantic, is that why you go by a new name?' He spat. I raise a brow, I didn't realise that Jack had such a thorn in Pitch's side. I don't like the dig that he threw my way.

'I don't go by any name Pitch, and it wasn't romantic. Quite the opposite.'

'Oh I heard every word. I'm surprised you didn't tell him about us, seeing as you told him the truth right away. Isn't that right, Zoe?' He leant against the wall. I closed my eyes and counted to ten before answering.

'Enough Pitch,' I warn.

'There I was thinking about how you say you go by your rules, but one wink from handsome Jack Frost and you bend at the knees-' I can feel the tears well in my eyes. 'Oh to be you Zoe, forever ignored, never to be loved. Even though you could take them from this earth in an instant.' I turn my back at him, I mustn't let him see my face. 'I should have known, it's like you never cared about me-'

'ENOUGH!' I bellow at him, as I spin around. I use my power, it echoes my word around the room. The thick metallic tang weighs heavy in the air, my tears have fallen. 'How dare you think that I didn't care for you!' I spit at him. I can feel my hair rising around my head, my wings darken. 'I had to choose Pitch! To be evil and feared, or ignored and keep the balance! I chose the right choice. The only choice. You will not twist me Pitch. I have been here far longer than you! You know nothing of being ignored!' I am breathing heavily trying to control myself. Normally losing my temper is fine. But not here. Not when I'm so close to all this energy.

He seems to have shrunk in size, the shadows around him had disappeared. 'I didn't want to argue Cheryl-'

'Stop calling me that!'

'I don't want it to be like this between us..'

'Look I don't care what you want. Just because Jack Frost actually spoke to me, you now decide to come visit? Saying that you want it to be different. Tough! I don't care what you want to do to Frost, you want to hurt him? Fine, that's between you and him. Just don't try to drag me into whatever it is you're planning.' I sigh and rub my eyes. This is just what I needed today. I swear that I'm gonna find Karma and have a serious word.

'I know your name,' he muttered.

My head shot up. I glared at him. 'Get out.'

'I would tell you if-'

'Get out!' I shout. He looks as if I've just slapped him. How fucking dare he! Trying to bribe me. 'Get out and don't come back Pitch.'

He crosses the room in two easy strides, he cups my face and pulls my lips toward his. I freeze. What the fuck do I do? I can feel his breath on my cheek. The warmth of his chest that pulls towards me. He sighs and his lips touch mine for just an instant before he fades. I fall against the wall. My fingers touch my lips, what the fuck just happened? My mind is full of fuzz. Things were never like that between us... Never. No. This is just one of his tricks. He loved playing pranks on me. He doesn't know my name. He's bluffing. I inhale deeply. It's no good, all I can smell is him. I definitely need to leave.

**Please be kind with your reviews -dodges bullets- I promise the next chapter is all about Frost! Promise!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yo wassup? 15 reviews wow! Thankyou!**

**Cold nightmare, defo wooo jack frost! It's gonna be a good one I promise.**

**AshtheCreature, Only time will tell her real name, or whether she keeps this one or not...**

**Cheshire cat , Thank you so much. I would never have used that word. You flatter me. **

**Soaringphoenix86, she's a yorkshire, chihuahua mix. It's gonna be fun that's for sure. I honest to god laughed so much at your review. Thank you! I love that line, I may steal it... mwhahahaha**

**Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, You're all awesome and deserve an egg from Bunny, or the Kangaroo I might say :3 I hope this chapter does you all justice! Enough from me, time for the chapter. **

**Chapter 5 – Always on my mind.**

I'm in shock. I swear. I, I just don't know what to do. Finally I gather my wits. I check my make-up, making sure I don't look like a drag queen in the rain. Gah, Pitch you turd. What a bastard. I look alright. So with a powerful flap I leave my home. I feel refreshed as the slightly cold wind hits my face. I really should get a pair of googles or something. You would have thought I would have done something like that by now! I fly nowhere in particular. My wings generally don't let me crash into anything so I take the time to close my eyes and generally reflect on what the fuck is going on. This week hasn't even ended and yet shit has hit the fan. What a drag. I find it hard to believe that my life has literally been turned upside down. Ugh, anyway let's not dwell on the subject. I'm whingy enough without all that crap.

I feel the comfortable burn in my shoulders as I fly. There's little wind resistance today, though it is getting harder and harder. I look down, my wings have taken me far from civilization. Thank god. I soar on a thermal over a forest. I smile as the trees bend in the wind. Hold on, it's getting harder.. to... fly. What the fuck. I've been so distracted by the forest, as I look up I see a white cloud rolling towards me. Like an avalanche...

'Holy shi-' I cry out as the cloud hits me. I get thrown backwards. I can't see shit and I can barely fly. My wings try to help me as I flap, but it's no good, I'm getting thrown around like a pinball. I scream, I don't know where the fuck I am, or how far I've travelled.

'Look out!' I hear someone shout before I get a blow across the face. Ow! Like fucking ow! The blow sends me falling out the air. The wind and snow is buffeting me to the ground. I'm going to fucking die. If I can that is. All I know is that my face fucking kills, I'm covered in snow and I'm plummeting to the ground.

'Oh my fucking god!' I scream, except it doesn't come out like that, it comes out more like 'Omph, fumping mod!' I smash into a tree. I hear something crack in my shoulder blade. Holy fuck that fucking kills! My scream hits it's high notes. Snow knocks me from the tree. As I hit the ground, darkness swamps me.

I cough, inhaling coldness, I cough harder. Oh god, if I don't die I wish I could. I would gladly turn up for myself and kick my arse through a door. I feel someone grab my arm, I scream and try to pull away. Oh Christ I think I've broken my shoulder blade. I roll over and try to get up, but the wind is too strong and I'm far too weak. I open my eyes and see blue. Snow and blue. This person says something but I can't hear. The roar of the storm is too much, more pain shoots down my arm as I'm picked up into a fireman's lift. My last thought before I black out? Great now my arse is in the air. Classy broad aren't I.

…

I can see spots, I haven't even opened my eyes and spots are dancing across the dark. My shoulder is in agony and I'm freezing. All in all, not a good way to wake up. I breathe in and hack up a lung as the cold air rushes through my nose and stings in my chest. 'Ow,' I murmur. I'm sitting upright against a stone wall that much I know. I try to shift my legs but they feel as heavy as lead.

'Woah, calm down, you're safe,' a man says to me, I recognise the voice. He's quite close, I can feel him barely a few centimetres away. My eyes flutter open and I twist my head to the direction of the sound. I see white and blue, ha, only one person I know who wears blue and has ….white hair...

'Jack?' I whisper. My throat is so hoarse. He smiles, I look around, we're in a tiny cave, there is no room at all. In fact I'm taking up most of it. My wings are almost translucent. Doesn't look like I'll be flying any time soon. Why the fuck is he here?

'Oh, I was worried for a moment,' he says with a cheeky grin.

'You, you were... worried?' I repeat. Well this is new. Y'know what. Don't care. I hurt to much. Jack frowns at me. I shake my head and look the other way.

'Yeah, why wouldn't I be?' I hear him say. I try to shrug, but I hiss in pain instead. Silence descends between us. I feel him shift. He has gotta be uncomfortable. I shimmy over. Creating a little more space.

'Sit, on my wing. It won't hurt,' I mutter. He doesn't move for a moment but I think his leg went dead because he sits closer. He's created a wall of ice between the outside world and us inside. Well of all the things that happened today I didn't think that I would be trapped in a cave with Jack Frost. I can feel him looking at me. 'What?' I ask. He doesn't reply. I roll my eyes and try to move my arm. I feel like I've been beaten up.

'Sorry about that,' he says eventually.

'So it was you? Y'know people don't like me but they don't try to beat me up. Not all of them anyway,' I say, making myself smile. I can see his frown. He doesn't like that.

'I didn't mean to hit you, I didn't see you until it was too late. I didn't think anyone would be around this part of the woods, I was moving the storm away from the town,' Jack apologised. I smile weakly. Moving the storm huh? That's a new one. What consideration, I think sarcastically. I'm a little bitter, I think my nose has expanded across my face. I feel my skin shiver. I definitely didn't wear enough layers for this.

'Oh, don't worry as soon as I can fly again I'll leave you alone,' I say quietly. Jack turns to face me. Wow his eyes are like, crystal blue. They pierce into me. He's frowning again. I must really annoy him. I'm hoping the storm doesn't last too much longer.

'Why?' He says.

Well that threw me.

…

Jack looked at Zoe. She was curled up and refused to look him in the eye. He was so worried when he found her in the snow. Her skin was a lot paler than it usually was, she had a deep bruise on her cheek and she screamed when he tried to lift her. It had taken him about twenty minutes to find her when she dropped from the sky. The storm was too powerful for him to control, he could merely steer it. He abandoned his attempts of control when he found her. He needed to get her to a shielded area. Out the wind and snow. He ignored her yelp and lifted her over his shoulder. She was too light for her size. Jack tried to ignore the way her body melded against his. Her wings where trying to flap and cover them both from the wind. It was useless. He had managed to find a small sheltered cave, he put her down as gently as possible, wincing as she moaned in pain. He crawled in and made a rough wall of ice and settled in for the wait.

Now she was just bringing herself down. Jack couldn't help but frown. She was better than this. She just shrugged everything off. He felt so guilty about causing the bruise on her cheek, he had even brushed her hair from her face while she was unconscious. She was something else that was for sure. Jack had just asked her why she thought that way. She gaped at him, she must think the answer is obvious.

'No, seriously, why?' Jack repeated.

'B-Because of me! Y'know. I'm Death!' She stuttered. Jack couldn't help but laugh. What she did was unnerving, but he saw the way she was speaking when she was talking to that soul. He was going to ask her about Cupid. She would tell him the truth he reckoned. She didn't hide anything the first time.

'So what?' Jack chuckled. 'Look Zoe, there's nothing wrong with what you are, I don't get why you and everyone else cause such a fuss about this. I spoke to North-'

'What?' She butted in, 'you spoke to the Russian bloke?'

'Yes I did,' Jack said smoothly and calmly. 'He said something about Cupid,' he felt bad for asking, but the only way to stop all of this was to make sure he knew the truth. She glared at him and turned her back so she no longer faced him. He could hear her muttering to herself. He raised a brow. She had different habits that was for sure. Being in this cave was a little too close for comfort, he was having to perch on her wing, his staff didn't fit and poked halfway over out the cave. He stretched out his leg, it brushed next to hers, she flinched but didn't move.

'Cupid? What about her?' She replied finally.

'Him. The other Cupid, before this one. North said that they lost him,' Jack said.

'Of course he did,' Zoe spat. She didn't look at him, she simply faced the wall. Jack sighed.

'Zoe, please look at me when we talk,' Jack asked. He wanted to talk to her properly.

'Oh my god are you like, telling me off?' She almost laughed.

'No, I just don't want to talk to your back,' Jack chuckled. Maybe Tooth was rubbing off on him. He heard her snort but she did turn around slowly and face him. They were only a few centimetres away. Jack smiled at her, noticing that her cheeks went a little pink.

'The previous Cupid?' She whispered. Jack simply waited for her to talk, he didn't rush her. She tended to over react when forced and over compensate. He didn't really want to see that stuff again. 'He wanted to die,' she said quietly. 'He begged me, I didn't let believe him at first. He begged me for years and years,' she moved her knees up to her chest, she tried to move her arm but she hissed in pain. Instead she dropped her head onto her knees. She looked at him, her head tilted. 'He refused to do his duty, refused to eat, which doesn't kill us, but we become weak. I couldn't leave him like that. I watched him over a month, he begged me everyday. Finally I couldn't take it any more. I took him to a field where flowers were in bloom, the smell was beautiful. I asked him for the last time if he wanted to pass, this time when he said yes, I opened the door. I didn't watch to see if he went through. But I felt the door close two days later. That's when I went back. He had gone through. I severed his life line, as soon as I did so, she was created.' Her voice was soothing, Jack propped his hand up on his hand as he listened. He wasn't used to sitting still, but he was enraptured. 'I suppose to most of the other Spirits they wouldn't understand. They probably think I got rid of him,' she sighed and hid her face.

Jack couldn't help but reach out and touch her hand. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. 'Don't be sad Zoe, I know the truth.' He says softly. She glares at him for a moment before wiping her eyes with her sleeve, thus removing her hand from his.

'Y'know Jack, I don't think I've cried so much since I met you,' she smiled as she said it. Jack chuckled, and she laughed with him. Jack felt the storm begin to die down outside, he would be able to let them leave in a while. 'Why do this Jack?' She asked him. 'Why talk to me? Everyone else doesn't bother. I don't blame them, my Duty isn't a nice one.'

Jack laughed, running a hand through his hair, sending skitters across Zoe's skin. 'Come on Zoe, can't you just think I'm nice?'

'Sorry, too cynical and bitter,' she laughs.

'I used to be like you. No-one bothered with me, then I became a Guardian, I have a family. I can't imagine going back to the way I was. I was only alone for what nearly three hundred years?' He looked at Zoe, 'I don't want you to be alone any more. You don't deserve it,' he says quietly.

'Well, you're the only one that thinks so,' she mutters. Jack creates a small snowflake and plays with it in his hand.

…

I watch him play with this little ice crystal. I'll admit I'm a little jealous. That's very cool. You know I thought this was going to go a little different. But I've warmed up a little, my shoulder has become bearable, I heal extremely fast, thank god. Jack makes the snowflake float around us, a little cold breeze as it flies around. I laugh as he makes it land on my nose.

'Ha, Jack Frost nipping at your nose,' I sing with a giggle. 'Now I know where that lyric comes from, you're clearly a player,' I tease. Oh my god. Am I flirting? He chuckles and makes a couple more snowflakes flutter around. They land in my hair and I laugh.

'You should laugh more often. I mean this wasn't the perfect way that I wanted to track you down, but whatever works,' he says. Then he frowns and touches his staff, the wall dissolves into a pile of snow. Cold air floods in and we can see that the storm has almost ended. I guess it's time to leave, Jack crawls out and stands up outside, he twirls his staff and bends down back to my height. He holds out his hand for me to take. I pause for a moment but take it and he helps me out the cave we were in. I can't help but feel my pulse pick up. I breathe in deeply when outside and try to roll my shoulders. Ow! Fucking hell that still hurts.

'Damn, I don't think I'm going to be able to fly,' I say to myself. My wings flap, causing a spike of pain through my back. I gather they don't want to either.

'I'll help you,' Jack offered with a smile.

'No, you won't,' a voice rang out from the other side of the clearing.

**Okay didn't mean for that to happen but it did :3 I know not that fluffy but it's a little too early in their relationship I feel. No it's not Pitch (or is it? mwahahahahaa) Please drop a review, or the next chapter will take me ages... (I think Pitch is rubbing off on me lol)**


	6. Chapter 6

**If you review and I don't mention you, I am sorry! It means I've already written this bit and not seen the new review. **

**AshtheCreature, you never know ;) Though you know me pretty well!**

**BlackVelvet97, hello new reviewer. Thank you. I promise to update every day! Don't want you getting upset! Zoe is very old. Don't worry we'll find out more about her in time. **

**Soaringphoenix86, I have a Jack Russell who's 11 yet I still call him a pup. Thank you for the review :3 I hope I did your line justice!**

**Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, thank you so much, I had no idea that this story was going to be liked so much. It's thanks to all of you that I've continued. 3**

**Chapter 6 – Goodbye is the hardest word.**

Jack looked over, Zoe copied him, her face paled at the sight. It reminded her all the witch hunts that used to happen in the past. They would turn up, drive the poor soul out and to terrible things to them. In the name of justice. But really it was fear. Jack frowned and moved in front of Zoe. Her wings flapped once or twice. They wanted her to leave and she agreed, but that might make things worse.

'Bunny? What are you doing here?' Jack asked looking at his friend. Bunny was standing by one of his holes, he tapped the ground and it vanished. He shook his head as he walked forward.

'North, mate. He was worried about ya. Now I see why. Strewth mate, what do ya think ya doing?' He kept his distance from Zoe. Jack flicked his staff onto the ground with anger. Bunny wouldn't take his eyes from Zoe, he had one hand on one of his boomerangs. 'We've all been looking for ya, you bloody show pony, I knew as I saw that storm move it was you. I didn't expect this though! Frost, you need to come back to North's workshop mate. Don't get involved with her!' He was talking hurriedly. Zoe could feel her eyes burning. The way he spoke about her as if she wasn't even there.

'Bunny, I'm not going anywhere. She's hurt,' Jack said defensively. 'Why did North send you to look for me?'

'Because of this, mate! I've sent word to him, they'll be here in a few minutes,' Bunny said. Zoe felt her mouth go dry. She was right, it was a hunt. She was the prey. She stumbled back. Jack turned to face her, he wore a kind smile. He held a hand up asking her to stop. She did, reluctantly. The was a whooomph feeling and a large portal appeared in the clearing. North and Tooth appeared, running towards Bunny. Zoe could feel her fear building, she was injured and they looked pissed. She was in no state to fly and this wasn't going to end well. Tooth flittered over to Jack and hugged him tightly, she pulled at his arms and face.

'Oh Jack! You're not hurt are you?' She twittered. Zoe couldn't help the jealous bubble that arose when she saw how causally Tooth touched him. Jack laughed brushing her away.

'No Tooth I'm fine. Zoe can't fly though,' he said calmly. Tooth frowned then followed his gaze at Zoe. Her feathers twitched and she flew back a few feet. Jack raised a brow at her actions, he frowned properly when he saw the expression on North's face. 'Guys, what is going on? Why are you here?' He paced from side to side. Zoe, on the other hand continued to back away. The way North spun one of his large swords was making her nervous.

'Jack,' North spoke. 'I asked you to drop this escapade. I asked you, you said yes. You lied. You are our friend Jack-'

'Really?! You're my friends? Well what about Zoe?' Jack interrupted. Zoe wished she could turn invisible. She hadn't spent a lot of time with Jack but he gave off an aura of perfect calm. Like he would never get angry. But he looked furious. 'Would you have bothered with me if I hadn't been made a Guardian? Huh?!'

'Jack don't be silly,' Tooth chastised. She flew forward and placed a hand on his arm, 'you know that's not true. You didn't want to know us, we're family Jack, we love you, we're just concerned that-'

Jack shrugged her off and strode towards Zoe, he walked behind her and pushed her toward his fellow Guardians. Zoe dug in her heels causing a small snow rift to be created as she was moved. She bit back the moan of pain that rippled in her shoulder. 'That what? Come on tell me. Tell Zoe. She's here in front of you and yet you still ignore her!'

Tooth's feathers twitched and she hovered nervously. Jack folded his arms staying at Zoe's side. She on the other hand stared at the ground and tried to look the least intimidating as possible. It wasn't easy with her dark hair, pale skin and large wings. North walked out in the middle, his eyes looked sad as he spoke. 'She is dangerous,' he looked at her. 'I know you are with Pitch, Zoe,' he addressed towards her. Zoe's head snapped up.

'What?' She blurted. Jack's arms unfolded and he looked at her with a confused face.

'I know that Pitch is around you Zoe, I cannot let you hurt Jack,' North said with a hint of regret in his voice. Zoe looked at Jack, who looked hurt.

'No! That's, that's not true!' She replied quickly.

'You're with Pitch? I thought you sa-' Jack said softly. But Bunny interrupted him.

'Sheila lies mate, that's the problem, she says things like that,' he said with a shrug of his shoulders. Jack looked at Zoe, she could see the doubt in his eyes. North held out a hand to Jack. She could feel the anger begin to boil.

…

'How the fucking hell would you know?!' I screamed at the jumped up kangaroo. 'When was the last time you fucking well spoke to me huh?!' Jack stepped back from me, but it was too late the fury was unleashed. I could see that Sandman was nowhere to be seen, God forbid that someone actually be on my side. I could feel my eyes glow, I was losing control. But I shouldn't be losing control at all. Jack stared at me, I looked at him with tears in my eyes. 'Go, Frost. I don't care any more, you can't change what people refuse to believe.'

Jack's gaze hardened and he turned to his friends. I sigh, just as I tho-

'Leave,' Jack said. I am so shocked I actually take a step back.

He's not talking to me, he's talking to them. Bunny actually scoffed and stamped his foot. Tooth flittered back and forth, she looked very edgy. North had gone red in the face. They all begin to argue amongst themselves. North doesn't raise his voice, he simply stares at me. I move away. This is all becoming too much. Their voices get louder and louder. Soon it's all we can hear in the clearing. Jack is getting angry, saying that it's not fair. North has grabbed his arm, to keep him from Bunny, who had Tooth hanging off his elbow. It's mayhem. And all this time I can feel myself unravelling. This is not good. I shouldn't be losing it like this. My breathing quickens and I can feel my eyes glow. This could be very dangerous, very dangerous indeed. I need to calm down.

A shadow of pressure against my lips.

'Enough,' I whisper. The word falls on the clearing, even the tree stop swaying. Silence descends. My power floods out, I'm staring at my hands, it's like I'm lit by an inner glow. My clothes ripple and change, a heavier material falls against my skin. I'm wearing a long black dress, it trails across the snow such a contrast to the pure white. My hair unties and floats in the breeze.

I'm not doing this.

I look up towards Jack. I'm so scared, I feel like a puppet. And I know who's pulling the strings.

Pitch.

…

'Well isn't this lovely?'

Everyone stopped looking at Zoe and followed the shadow that ran across the snow and materialised behind her. It was Pitch. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Zoe tried to shake him off but he gripped her tightly.

'I knew it,' Bunny muttered. Jack pulled himself from North's grip.

'Zoe? What's going on?' Jack asked. She opened her mouth to reply, but Pitch whispered something in her ear. She closed her mouth. Jack frowned. 'Pitch! Stop it!'

'Oh Frost, that temper sounds a little hot,' he chuckled. He grabbed Zoe around the waist and held her close, he made her lean back, her hair trailing across the snow. Jack had to bite his tongue. Zoe looked terrified. 'Oh poor little Cheryl,' he looked at her trailing a finger down her cheek. 'You always did melt people's hearts.' She managed to regain enough control to spit in his face. He gripped her chin and scowled.

'Pitch!' Jack yelled swinging his staff down, the bolt he shot disappeared a few feet from Pitch.

'Easy Jack. I paid Cheryl a visit earlier. She threw me out, but not before we shared a tender moment,' he smiled at the Guardians. 'It was such a lovely caring thing, it allowed me to place dear little Cheryl here under my control. Thanks to you of course.' He pulled her upright and held her from behind one of his hands tracing her wings, they tried to morph away but they were held in place. Zoe's eyes glowed and her skin went a dusty grey. She wore an expression of pain and wouldn't take her eyes from Jack.

'What do you mean?' Tooth asked. The young woman in Pitch's arms looked so worried, Tooth felt some of the animosity towards her dwindle. It felt good to see her spit at him. Pitch laughed, the shadows in the trees deepened.

'Thanks to you, you can't hurt me.' He laughed throwing his head back. 'My body is imprisoned, but my mind? My mind is free. To control Cheryl here is to control the world, and I couldn't have done it without you all. All those years you ignored her,' he spun her around, 'threw rumours and lies around,' he pulled her close again. 'It wore down at her heart, planting the seed of fear. Fear of being hunted, rejected. Unloved. You the Guardians, who all swore to protect the hearts of children but you can't even protect one of your own. A fellow Spirit. Her fear grew and so did my power. Until this moment. Where the fear inside her overwhelmed her very being. She is mine now,' Pitch pressed his cheek against hers.

'She has nothing to do with this does she,' Bunny said bitterly. North dropped his sword, Tooth shared a look with the large Russian. It was full of guilt. Pitch kept laughing.

'All this time! Imagine how that feels, the fear growing inside, poisoning everything!' He shouted. Jack didn't know what to do, his power was useless. He needed to get her away from Pitch. He felt his heart clench as she dangled from his grip. 'Now, Cheryl. Darling, you are not going to like this, but it has to be done.'

Her eyes widened. Pitch placed his hands on her wings and ripped. Zoe fell to her knees, her head thrown back in a silent scream. Pitch's black sand swamped over her wings, absorbing into them. Jack had to be held back by North as he lunged forward. Zoe's voice finally broke through as she sobbed. She could feel the grains of glittering sand burrow under her skin. It was as if he was tearing off a limb, she thrashed around. He held her around the waist, stopping her from moving.

…

I gasped feeling nothing but acid in my throat. I stare at Pitch. 'Y-You're,' I stutter. Pitch leans forward his ear close to my lips. The sand digs into my muscles, taking over my wings. The tears of agony roll down my cheeks, the pain is intolerable, a deep slicing in my shoulders. 'You're k-k-k-killing t-them,' I manage to gasp. I scream again as I feel what's left of my wings be torn from my body.

Pitch strokes my hair. 'I know. I'm sorry Cheryl, but I need only you,' he whispers back.

…

'Zoe!' Jack shouts. He struggles against North, that black sand crawls over her shoulders. Before long her wings have become a dark glittered embodiment. They're feathered and just as large as her own. But these wings are rooted deep in her shoulder blades, following her spine. She twitches and sobs in pain. Bunny and Tooth threw a couple of his boomerangs but they just fell to the ground when they got close. Nothing is working.

Sandy drops from the sky. He whips out with his own golden sand, it manages to pass through whatever barrier that Pitch has created. He can't defend against something that he is also using. It flicks Pitch on the temple sending him across the clearing. Zoe was dropped to the floor, where she sobbed and tried to crawl away. Sandy ran beside her, with a relentless attack against Pitch. Jack tore himself from North's grip and ran across the snow to where she lay. Her massive wings covered her body, he pushed aside the glittering feathers and grabbed her hand.

Pitch roared in anger and began to throw back nightmares. Sandy became overwhelmed but North and Tooth covered him. Zoe, now she was away from Pitch's grasp looked at Jack. 'I'm s-s-sorry,' she whispered. Her body shook and she couldn't help the sob that broke from her lips. Jack pulled at her arms wrapping one of them around his shoulder as he lifted her upright.

'No! She is mine!' Pitch spat, he sent a wave of black shadow that gripped at Zoe's legs pulling her back. Jack held onto her. Zoe screamed as her skin on her feet began to tear with the force.

'I won't leave you,' Jack said wrapping his arms around her waist. Zoe, blinking through the tears nodded. 'Bunny!' He shouted. The Spirit of Hope ran over, he snatched Jack's staff, pulled his friend from around his waist close to him. He had Jack and Zoe in his grip. He ran from the shadow and as soon as Zoe was free from it's grip he thumped on the ground with his foot and jumped down the hole. They tumbled through the large tunnel. Landing heavily in a pile on the other side. Bunny untangled himself from the other's limbs and wings. Jack sat upright and had trouble pushing one of Zoe's wings away from her body. She lay on the spring grass. Blood trickled from her nose, and her back was covered in black sand mixed with her blood. Her feet and ankles were covered in lacerations, Jack looked at Bunny.

'Come on mate,' Bunny knelt down and with a little trouble managed to pick her up. 'The others can take care of Pitch, we gotta get Sheila away from him,' he sighed. Jack limped with him to an area where there was a low stone table. Eggs and flowers scurried out of the rabbit's way. He placed her on the table and went to find medical supplies. Before he left he placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. 'I'm sorry mate. I didn't realise it until now. Strewth, mate. I feel that myself and the other Guardians have got a lot of apologising to do..' Bunny shook his head. He had never felt so guilty before, everything that Pitch said had hit him deeply. Jack merely nodded, he was more concerned about Zoe. The large wings draped off the table, he moved around them and wiped her hair from her face. She breathed in deeply.

'You... didn't... leave,' she gasped.

'Rest Zoe. I have a feeling that there's going to be a lot of talking soon. I'm not going anywhere.' He assured her. She nodded and closed her eyes. Jack placed his hand on hers. Yes, he definitely had a lot to say.

**Well I hope that you liked it. Sorry about the downer. Please review. (or I hold the next one to ransom)**


	7. Chapter 7

**If you review and I don't mention you, I am sorry! It means I've already written this bit and not seen the new review. **

**Sea biscuit, wass up? Sorry didn't mean to bum you out! I am horrible to my character. **

**Coldnightmare, welcome back :D I thought the twist was obvious glad I've still got some tricks up my sleeve. **

**Soaringphoenix86, Sandy is awesome. Love that lil dude. Trust me the Guardians have got some grovelling to do XD**

**Noelletheunicorn, I don't think I've blushed so much in my life! **

**Blackvelvet97, I was worried that the scene was a little hard to understand. Thankyou for settling my worries.**

**Every one who reviewed, favorited, added to alerts, thank you for stroking my ego, apparently it's big enough! **

**Chapter 7 – Don't blame it on the moonlight.**

'Damn him! Damn them all to hell,' Pitch roared slamming his fist on the arm of the chair as he re-awoke in his, for the lack of a better word, prison. He was growing stronger. He was slumped and his hair fell over his face. He looked at his clenched fist, his anger growing. He almost had her, he was so close. 'Damn you Frost!' He spat.

'What's the matter?' A sickly sweet voice echoed around the cavern, slender arms wrapped around his shoulders and a woman pressed her cheek against his. Pitch twisted his head away from hers and got up abruptly. 'I thought you might like my new look,' she said slipping into Pitch's now unoccupied chair. She draped her legs over the arm. He looked around at her. It was Cheryl. Or how an imperfect version of her would look. The eyes and smile weren't quite right.

'What are you doing Nathara?' Pitch sighed. She grinned, standing up, she was too tall to and too thin. 'Whatever you're doing it isn't working,' Pitch muttered. She was nothing compared to Cheryl. Nathara was the embodiment of jealously and envy. He only kept her around because she was useful. Anyone who knew what Cheryl really looked like wouldn't be fooled by her disguise. Nathara wanted Pitch, but he wanted nothing to do with her. But she was useful at the moment.

'Well, you've been so grumpy lately, I thought you might want a bit of company,' she purred. She made her way towards him but he pushed her away.

'No. Leave,' Pitch said venomously. He couldn't bear having her near him. To think he had Cheryl in his grasp and she was torn away. But without her wings she would find it hard to resist him. His sand would burrow deep into her skin, weakening her. He just had to wait.

…

Jack sighed as he left Zoe in the medical care of Tooth. She was cleaning off the blood and didn't need a man around. He went to rejoin Sandy, Bunny and North in the main warren. Sandy was giving Bunny and North a piece of his mind. Ever since he came back he tried to convey what happened but being a mute didn't really help. He resorted to writing it down. In capital letters. It wasn't really the Sandman's way of doing things but time needed to be used wisely. He shoved the newest note at Bunny who had just made a sarcastic comment.

Tooth sat with a stone bowl filled with warm water. Sandy had visited her earlier and put into a light sleep. This shouldn't hurt her. Tooth had to tear her dress away from her wings and she winced at the sight. The sand had morphed into feathers, that glittered in the weak light as Tooth gently brushed them out the way. Zoe's skin was covered in dried blood and the black grit. She took the cloth and tried to gently rub it from her back, the water thickened as it ran over her feathers. It was quite a while before Tooth was finished, she was amazed at the amount of damage that had happened to the woman's shoulder blades. The wings look like they had torn through her skin, Tooth followed her feathers. She sighed and picked up the bowl and rag, her ankles and feet looked in a bad way. She made do with cleaning off the blood. It looked like she was a fast healer, but that didn't stop her skin from looking sore. She was going to need new clothing, that dress was in shreds. Tooth flittered into the chamber.

'Is she going to be alright?' Jack asked as soon as he saw her. Tooth smiled weakly and nodded. Jack rubbed his eyes and brushed back his hair. Bunny let out a breath of relief.

'Where's Sandy and North?' Tooth replied. They weren't anywhere to be seen. Eggs scuttled around Jack's feet as he paced. Bunny leant against one of his giant stone statues and picked at a claw with a boomerang.

'We sent them to get food Sheila, don't think I could cope with another note from Sandy. They were getting longer and the font was getting larger. Strewth, this has been a bad day, how she doing?' Bunny said on an after thought.

'She should be fine, I don't know what that sand has done to her. It doesn't look like anything that bad, she simply has different wings. They now join her skin and muscles instead of just being a part of her being. Sandy did say something that, it's part of her spirit form. She will always have wings. Pitch simply replaced them.' Tooth didn't really understand it, but that was the best explanation there was. Jack chuckled to himself swinging his staff. 'She's going to need some clothing, that dress is ruined.'

Bunny almost dropped his boomerang, 'well don't look at me Sheila, I'm covered in fur! You've got feathers, the only person here with any time of clothing is-' They both looked at Jack who was already taking off his hoodie. Tooth squeaked and quickly turned around, as he pulled it over his his head. He was wearing a light coloured short sleeved t-shirt underneath, but it rolled up showing his stomach. She had accidentally caught a glimpse and she felt her cheeks go pink. It suddenly felt too hot in her feathers.

'Here, she's smaller than me, this will cover her,' Jack said brushing his hair back down. Bunny raised a brow, he took the garment from Jack and ran a nail down the back twice. The material slit easily.

'For her wings,' Bunny muttered. Jack smiled knowing that it was Bunny trying to apologise. He nodded, he wasn't too fussed about his hoodie, he had a couple more like it. He went to take it back but Tooth got there first.

'Maybe I should give it to her, seeing as well y'know, the reason she needs clothing in the first place,' she twittered. Jack chuckled and nodded, Bunny coughed into his hand. Both of them were clearly a little embarrassed. Tooth flittered off back to drop of the make do garment.

…

It wasn't the pain that woke me, it was the moon light. I could smell flowers in bloom and hear a stream. I roll over, my back screams at me, I slip on a feather and loose my balance falling off the edge of the rough stone table. 'Fucking hell,' I murmur. I feel out of sorts, not to mention y'know having just fallen off a table. My wings feel heavy, really heavy and it takes a lot of effort just to sit up. It's like having a couple of planks strapped to my shoulders. It takes me a few minutes but I figure out how to fold them up, tucking them close to my back. The loss I feel for my real wings is the heaviest weight that I carry. It sits deep in my chest, but I'm more angry than upset. Pitch thinks he has me. Well he's just made the biggest mistake of his life. Bastard. Taking my best friends away was not the way to go. I wipe away the tears that surface and rub my eyes. Shivering I look own at myself. I'm half naked. Great. I'm just wearing my black girl boxers. Suitable for every occasion. I cover my chest with my arm and use my other arm to hoist myself upright. I've got fuck all balance, it's gonna be a while until I get used to the tilting effect, like I'm constantly falling backwards.

My fingers touch some material. I look at the table, there's my horrid black dress, but on the other side of the table. Jack's hoodie. I can't help the smile that touches my lips. I pick it up, it smells of pine trees, the tang of fresh fallen snow and cinnamon, strangely enough. Not a smell that I would associate with him, but I like it all the same. I pull it over my head, already I'm stuck. It's big enough, for certain areas... I manage to get my boobs in, it's a tight fit but oh well. Someone's made a couple of slits in the back and after a bit of wrestling with the blasted feathers and a lot of pulling I get each wing through it's sleeve. The hoodie ends just about mid thigh. It covers my bum, it would do.

I feel restless, I have a bone to pick with a certain someone. But that would probably have to wait. I think I'm in the Warren, if the scuttling eggs are anything to go by. I think I remember Bunny grabbing me and Jack. My head tilts up to where the moon light is streaming in. I think, I think I want to look at the stars. I stagger while walking but I get there, I just have to climb now. I look at the state my feet and ankles are in, I look like I've been ravaged with barbed wire. Shaking my head I wince as I climb the mossy rock. As stupid and as clunky as my wings feel they help me climb with a light flutter here and there.

…

'Why don't we just ask her?' Bunny said.

'Because all of us charging in there might send the wrong idea,' Jack shook his head. 'Look what happened last time, this is how the whole thing started.'

'Jack's right,' Tooth agreed.

'We have wronged her greatly,' North added. Sandy stood by Jack and nodded. 'We will help her with Pitch. It is least we can do,' he picked at some of the food they had brought. Jack rolled his eyes. As if North and the other Guardians weren't going to help. He grabbed one of the brown bags and shoved some random food in.

'I'll talk to her,' he said. Bunny looked like he was going to interject but Sandy stood on his foot and shook his head. North nudged Tooth who was almost knocked over.

'Yes my friend, go speak to her, see if she will let us apologise,' North rumbled. His attitude on the young woman had changed greatly in the last hour. He would fine the time to talk to her, but for now she needed a friend and it looked like Jack was the perfect person for that. Jack nodded and waved a hand as he walked down the tunnel. He didn't take his staff, what would he need it for?

He got a little worried when he didn't see her in the room anywhere. He looked around and spotted a large shadow cross over the floor. He looked up, she was sitting on a rocky outcrop, her arms wrapped around her knees, her wings spread and slightly limp. He smiled to himself and quietly walked over, he could see where she would have climbed up. He followed in her footsteps. He heard her talking as he got close.

'- miss you guys. I can't actually believe he took you from me. Mark my words he will pay for it, I, oh. Jack,' she said as she heard him get close. She was twisting a feather in her fingers.

'Talking to yourself?' Jack laughed as he hopped up onto her ledge. She lifted a wing and he sat beside her, his legs dangling off the side. He showed her the bag and chuckled when she almost snatched it from him.

'He will pay, Jack. They were my best friends, my family,' she sighed. She took a packet of crisps from the bag and tore it open. 'Would you think bad of me if I said that I didn't want to talk about that?' Jack nudged her with his shoulder, making her turn towards him. He gave her a look, she giggled and nodded. 'Okay, I get it. Dumb question.' She muttered looking back at her food. Jack delved a hand into her crisps and popped one into his mouth.

'How are you feeling?' He asked. She shrugged.

'Sore, itchy. I ache all over. And before you insinuate or hint anything. No I can't feel Pitch, yes I can tell, and yes I will let you know if I do,' she said in one breath. Jack chuckled.

'I wasn't going to do that,' he laughed. She gave him a sidelong look.

'You weren't?'

'Nope. I was gonna come right out and ask you,' his blunt honesty made Zoe laugh. They sat eating the food from the brown bag. Jack was trying not to notice that her legs were bare and her chest was fitted very tightly into his hoodie. Her long hair fell over her face every time she looked down from staring at the moon, it took all his will power not to reach over and brush it back.

'He knows my name,' she said quietly. 'He tried to use it against me, then he tried to kiss me. There was once a time, but things change. I know you probably won't like the idea of Pitch and I being close. But time was different back then. It's strange, of all the things I remember, I can't remember my name.' She pulled her knees up to her chest. Jack bit his lip, he wanted to comfort her, but it was awkward. He decided to take the plunge. He lifted his arm and wrapped it over her shoulders. She stiffened. But after a couple of seconds she leant into his chest.

'You know for an old broad you're not doing to badly,' he quipped. Zoe gasped and punched him lightly on the stomach. 'I'm only joking, but seriously Zoe, I don't think you're what you say you are,' Jack said with a smile, he had been thinking about it for a while. Something didn't make sense. She pushed him away with a fake look of hurt on her face.

'Jack, don't go there. It's a nice thought, but don't even go down that street.' She said it firmly and Jack nodded. She laid back on the moss and stared at the moon and stars. 'Wanna know how I landed this great job?' Jack looked back at her, she patted the moss, 'it won't hurt my wing. Trust me I've been wrestling with them since I arrived.' Jack chuckled and laid next to her, the feathers were actually incredibly soft. She played with a bit of moss in her fingers.

'I died saving my sister,' Jack said simply. 'What about you?'

'I am very, very, old Jack. Let me put it this way, the winters you create are nothing to the day to day storms we had back then. I don't mind the cold, I don't really feel it. Not any more. Unless I'm tired. I was one of the first tribes, it was survival of the fittest. We lived in crude huts and caves. Forever travelling. Death was something that was normal. Not a day went past were we risked our lives doing something, getting water, food. By the time I became this age, half our tribe had died, not to mention all the children that never made it. My mother died with an illness, my brother was about ten. He was never a strong boy. My father hated him, told me that he was bringing the clan down. I knew that if my father had his way that my brother wouldn't survive long,' she breathed in deeply. Jack's hand found hers and he squeezed her fingers, she gently entwined her hand in his. She stared at the sky. 'I can't remember their faces, or names, or even the way they smelt. But I remember everything that happened. All their voices. Not that you would call it a language. It was mostly grunts and hand movements,' she giggled. 'I've come quite far huh.' Jack smiled at her. This was comfortable, he was trying not to think about how he was laying on the moss holding her hand. Normally he would feel really awkward, he did when Tooth or any of the other Guardians tried to show him physical attention. But with Zoe, it was, different.

'Well, to cut a long story short. I made sure that my brother got food, had the furs at night. I did all the hunting and kept him out my father's grip. But I became weaker and weaker as the year went on. One day I awoke to find my father carrying me into the snow. He kissed me on the forehead and left me. For a while I thought my brother would try to help, but no. Nothing happened. It was survival of the fittest and I was no longer fit.' She sighed and looked away from the sky, instead she looked at the gap in between them. At their clasped hands.

'You died?' Jack whispered. She nodded.

'Yeah, then to my surprise, I didn't, I was reborn as this. I didn't do the duty for almost a thousand years, there was no need, just existing was enough,' she explained. 'I didn't go back to the clan for over ten years. I couldn't do it. But when I finally found them, I saw my brother. Y'know I thought he had died. But I saw something else, I saw old people. Sick people being cared for. He had changed it all, he had a wife who held a babe on her hip. It was no longer survival of the fittest,' She shrugged. 'There, that' my depressing story.'

Jack pressed his forehead against hers. 'You're here with me, isn't that something?'

She looked at him for a second before she burst into laughter. She sat up as far as she could, 'Oh Jack! That was the best line you could come up with?'

He pulled her back down to the moss. 'Hey! It's not like you gave me a lot to work with!' They rolled on the ledge laughing. Zoe felt her heart lift a little, she missed her wings. But Jack had somehow managed to take her mind off them.

'I'm tired,' Zoe yawned.

'Yeah me too,' Jack replied. Zoe looked up at him, he smiled and winked at her. Yep, somehow he managed to make her heart skip with just a grin. Zoe bit her lip. She was going to be in serious trouble if this continued.

**Well, that was that lol. I know plain and simple, thought a calm chapter would be best. Have a little bit of fluff. Plenty of reviews makes for quick writing. The next chapter may reveal her true name ^-^ (that's what I have planned, whether that happens or not is another thing, you know what my fingers are like)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is dark, if you're easily offended please read at your own caution. I don't want any flaming reviews, this is your warning.**

**oOShinahiOo: Hello! Thank you for your lovely review. It's nice to know that my character is awesome! There will be more fluff and sweet to come lol.**

**Coldnightmare: Thank you. -Ego grows- I love fluff, but it' so hard to write!**

**Soaringphoenix86: There are more teasing moments to be sure. You don't learn these things overnight after all! **

**Blackvelvet97: Sorry about the long wait. New puppy and all, things in my house are a little crazy!**

**Seabiscuit: They should feel bad. The meanies.**

**Dancing Cartoon: Wotcha new reviewer :D Updates are fairly regular -shifty face- New puppy is causing havoc. I've lost a shoe to her already!**

**Glenthelizard: Olla olla! -Fans you with paper- Oh noes! Pwease don't faint! You won't be able to read new chapter! **

**Chapter 8 – Light and Dark. **

Zoe fell asleep a few minutes after she spoke. Jack didn't realise for a while, they were just laying there. When he noticed he couldn't stop the chuckle that emerged from his chest. Then he cursed to himself mentally, somehow he had to get down from this outcrop, without waking her. But making sure that she herself got down. Which meant carrying her. 'Oh fuck,' he muttered. Zoe stirred at his voice. He stilled, she rolled over very close to the edge. His hoodie had rolled up slightly showing more of her bare legs, he could see the skin of her hips and the dimples in the base of her back. Not to mention her underwear. Jack blushed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He couldn't help but feel something for Zoe, deep in his chest. He wasn't quite sure what it was. The biggest problem he faced at this moment, more than his inexperience with the opposite sex, were her wings. They were large and very heavy. He was probably going to wake her as soon as he tried to lift. That was a welcome distraction. He sighed lightly and slid a arm under her knees, she grumbled, which he ignored. He then tried to fold her wing, she muttered more. 'Zoe,' he whispered. She opened her eyes a little. 'Fold your wings,' he said softly to her.

'D'n't wan'a' she murmured. Jack applied a little more pressure and she did he asked and folded her wings. They tucked beside her spine neatly, the longest feathers brushing her ankles. He could tell by her breathing that she hadn't really woken up. Now her wing was tucked in he was able to roll her into his chest, his other arm pinning her wings in. He shifted position and had her in his lap, he looked at the way down, trying to calculate the easiest way to reach the floor. There wasn't enough room to stand until he got lower. He shimmed to the edge and slid off until his feet felt more rock and moss underneath. He carefully picked his way through the boulders, Zoe almost made him fall off at one point. She moved, her hand grabbing his t-shirt as she nuzzled his collarbone. He felt his heart rate spike as her lips grazed his skin. Thankfully his feet soon touched the grass, he had reached the bottom. He avoided looking at her and concentrated on where he was going. He paused for a moment to readjust his hand positions, mentally doing long division, so he didn't think about how soft her skin was, or where his hands actually were. Which was a real distraction seeing as he had only the faintest idea what long division was, let alone being able to calculate it. Confident he wasn't going to drop her he carried her to the main Warren, Bunny was sitting on a boulder, sharpening a piece of wood.

'Ey mate,' he said as Jack walked in, he winced as he saw that Zoe was asleep in his arms. He lowered his voice. 'Sorry mate. Didn't know. Tooth and the others have gone home. I don't have beds mate, but the grass is pretty soft down 'ere. There's a cavern down 'atta way, you can both shack up there. Tooth went out and grabbed a few bits for Sheila, they're in the cavern.' He pointed to a tunnel with his half made boomerang.

'Thanks Bunny,' Jack said quietly. Bunny nodded and smiled.

'Mate, uh, about Sheila there,' he began. Jack raised a brow. Bunny brushed back his ears nervously. 'I uh, can see that you're pretty close. If you ever need any advice-'

Jack paled. 'Oh er, thanks Bunny. I better, uh, leave. Don't want to wake her up,' he said hurriedly. Zoe's wings tried to shift, which only proved Jack's point. Bunny nodded.

'Yeah, alright then mate, but I'm here if you need to talk,' he added. Jack was glad to see that Bunny looked just as awkward as he felt. Jack grinned and nodded back, he walked away as quickly as was polite. When he was out of hearing range he let out a large breath.

'Oh god there is no way I ever want that to happen again. Ever,' he muttered to himself. The cavern was small and had a open roof, the floor sloped up toward the sky, a rather steep, rocky climb. The grass was thick and long under his bare feet, he found a particularly mossy patch and gently laid Zoe on the green. He found the bag that Tooth had left and pulled out a pair of black shorts, he guessed those were for Zoe; It was the best the Tooth fairy could find at the dead of night. Also a couple of blankets; he draped one over her and laid close enough that he could almost feel her breath. So many thoughts raced through his head, he figured that he would never fall asleep. To his surprise, he dropped off moments later.

…

My breath halted in my lungs. Choking me. My whole body thrummed, my hands were soaked with sweat. I opened my eyes to see dusty shadows lingering. Pale light flooded all that it could touch from the open roof. The pull in my chest was becoming unbearable. Only when I sat bolt upright could I breathe again. I gasped, this was bad. This was really fucking bad. My eyes began to glow, I am in serious trouble. I stumble to my feet, a blanket falling from my body. I don't have enough time to think about how I'm next to Jack, or how I got here. I need to leave. My wings are like lead, I can't gather the energy to fly from a standing start. I fall towards the wall and my fingers scrabble for hand holds. The moss is dewy and I can't get a grip. I will just have to keep trying...

…

Thump... Thump. ..Thump. It wasn't the noise that awoke Jack, it was the absence next to him. Groggily he rubbed his eyes and sat up, he looked at to where he had placed Zoe, she wasn't there. Thump. The noise made him look over to the sloping wall. Zoe had fallen down from where she was trying to climb it, she rolled off one of the boulders and landed on her shoulder. He shot to his feet, all remnants of sleep vanishing. Zoe had put on the shorts that Tooth had left, so when she fell and her hip hit a rock she had a little protection. Her wings were spread but limp. The cuts on her feet and ankles had reopened and he could see that some of the blood had dripped between her toes. He ran over to her and helped her up from her rough landing.

'Zoe! Zoe, what are you doing?' He asked his heart pounding. She looked at him with glowing eyes, weakly she pushed him out her way and tried to climb the wall again. He grabbed her hands and forced her to look at him. 'What are you doing?' He repeated.

She looked at him, pain obvious in her features, 'Duty,' she whispered. Jack felt warmth on his hands, her fingers were bleeding. 'Protect... the balance... I must... go...' she said quietly. Jack's eyes widened.

'You have to go?' He asked, she nodded and tried to pull her hand from his. Jack was split in two. On one hand, Zoe clearly wanted to go, but on the other she was hurting herself and she needed to rest. Also the threat of Pitch loomed overhead. 'Okay, just wait here,' he said pressing his forehead against hers for a moment before running back to the main cavern where he had left his staff. He grabbed it feeling the power flow through him. Without a thought he summoned a wind that picked him up and carried him through the tunnel. He saw that Zoe had tried climbing the wall again and she was beginning to falter. Jack's heart clenched as she lost her grip, time slowed as she fell, her wings outspread as she tried to stop her descent. He urged more speed from the wind and caught her around the waist. The sudden weight knocked him back with a jolt and her feathers blinded him for a moment before she twisted in his arms, so that she was facing him. She winced in pain, her wings beating slowly. Jack cleared the Warren the cold air along with Zoe's large wingspan giving them extra lift.

'Jack,' Zoe gasped, he looked down at her, she pointed to the west, he changed direction. 'Faster,' she urged. Before he did as she requested he moved her from his chest, draping her arm around his shoulders so that her wings weren't an obstacle. She hung from his grip, only the thermals that she caught in her feathers keeping her from simply dangling. He clutched his staff, his other arm around her waist. Cold air whipped around them, causing her long hair to flick around Jack's face. A pit in his stomach formed. Something wasn't right. He moved around a cloud to see a swarm of black sand toward him.

'Nightmares!' Jack hissed. Zoe moaned her eyes glowing bright. Jack thought quickly, she was in no position to fight, but they were coming closer with every second. Jack looked at her, catching her gaze. He pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. 'Sorry about this,' he said quietly.

'What?' She said, her word ended in a scream as he let her go. He didn't stop to think about what he had juts done, she was going to kill him. He yelled in anger and twirled his staff as the black sand swarmed over him.

…

I am going to fucking kill Frost. Painfully and without regret. I spiral down as I try to flatten my body against the descent. My muscles are screaming at me, with every moment that I got closer the pain lessened. Normally the pull of my Duty isn't painful at all, but I have a feeling I know why. And I'm going to make sure that when I kill him it hurts more than I do now. With a scream I manage to extend my wings, the pressure almost ripping them from my shoulders. My fall doesn't stop but it's more controlled. I look up, feeling the anger override my pain. Pitch's beasts were all over Jack. I concentrate. I have to do my Duty, but, without Jack... I wouldn't even be this far. I never knew that I would have to choose between Duty and a friend. That thought never occurred to me. I must keep the balance. The answer is clear.

…

Jack felt a sharp stinging across his cheek, he swore casting a bolt at the nightmare. Selfishly he wished he had his hoodie, they would lessen the blows at least. He twisted in the air destroying more with each turn. But he was getting weaker, and the hits were knocking him back for longer. He just had to hope that Zoe got away. He knew that they were out to get Zoe not him, hopefully he had given her enough time to put enough distance between herself and him. He yelled as a particularly strong blow threw him out the black swirling cloud. The wind stung his eyes as he tried to open them. But what he saw almost sucked the air from his lungs.

Zoe spiralled upwards her wings wrapped around her body. She entered the cloud and moments later the black writhing mass was torn in two. She had opened her wings forcefully, with powerful flaps she kept herself airborne. Her eyes glowed silver, her skin shimmered with an inner light. She clapped her hands together, the sand instead of smoke forming between her palms. She spread her arms and her scythe appeared, it's blade making a shrill noise as she swung it through the air. The handle was a glittering silver and she spun it with practised ease. The nightmares screamed and pulsed towards her. She scowled and beat her wings rising. The nightmares followed creating a black spire beneath her. Jack yelled out, she wasn't flying fast enough, they were going to overtake. Zoe stopped.

And dove.

She spun faster and faster through the dark cloud, her scythe tearing the through the tainted dreams. They shrieked as their manifestations dissolved at the touch of her blade. She left a silver trail in her wake. She flew past Jack with her eyes closed, the nightmares had been eradicated. What was left had turned and were quickly retreating.

…

'No!' Pitch yelled. 'No!' He swept his arm across the surface of what he was using as a desk angrily. Items flew off and smashed against the wall. He shouted and cursed, his cursed sand warping around him. Nathara ran over to him. She tried to comfort him, which only released his anger. He threw her away mercilessly, the last thing wanted was her touch. She cowered from him as he paced. He had to get the Guardian away from her. 'Frost,' he whispered. He had touched her mind for a moment, he knew that she was doing the Duty. He knew what he had to do. He simply had to inspire fear. Jack's fear.

…

By the time Jack had managed to pull himself together Zoe had already flown off. He could see her jerky movement in the distance. He wiped the blood that had trickled into his eye and summoned a gust of wind that sent him toward her. It was a while before he was able to catch up with her. She had flown over a town, settling on a roof. She flapped her wings once or twice before pulling them in close. She had bowed her head and closed her eyes. Jack landed next to her with a slight breeze. He touched her shoulder but she made no reaction. Her eyelids opened light spilling forth. She was looking at a building in the distance, it was worn down and far from the estate. He could see that she was injured but she still held her scythe in her hands and he was sure that she would be angry from before.

'Jack,' her voice made him jump. She wouldn't look at him. Before he could answer she continued speaking. 'I'm going to ask you once and not repeat myself. Do you wish to see?'

'Zoe?' He said confused.

'Yes or no, Jack,' she said sadly. That's when she looked at him. It was like a bolt of lightening, Jack realised that she was being deadly serious. He felt the pit in his stomach reappear again. He gazed into her silver eyes and nodded. She held out her hand and pressed against his chest lightly. For a second there was nothing, then a wash of warmth and cold. Laughter and crying, happiness and fear. He stumbled back from her hand panting heavily. He was drenched in sweat. Jack looked over at Zoe who's gaze had returned back to the house.

'Come,' she said. Her voice was dead pan, there was no emotion in her face or tone. She dropped from the building her wings snapping open at the curve of her fall. Jack although shaken ran and tripped forward, he spun his staff a breeze carrying him swiftly toward the building that Zoe was flying to. The sun was getting lower in the sky and it was becoming dusky, he flew through the mist and landed next to Zoe. She was looking in a window, Jack peered through and saw only a light bulb that flickered from the ceiling. He looked over at her, she bowed her head and pressed her hand against the wall. The brick rippled at her touch. She tilted her head at Jack and he reached out with his fingers, almost gasping as they went through the stone. He stepped forward until he stood in the room. Zoe followed him the wall returning to normal once she passed. She walked past Jack and into another corridor. The state of the plaster was foul, there was no carpet and Jack could hear a whimpering. He followed Zoe into the other end of the building, a foul stench filling his nostrils. He wasn't prepared for what he saw. Nobody would be. Zoe stood in the doorway merely watching. He couldn't believe his eyes.

There was a young girl cradled on the floor. Thick chains around her ankles. Jack gaped and looked at Zoe who's expression hadn't changed. She merely breathed in deeply. The young child looked about eleven, she had long red hair, which was full of dirt and grease. She wore a pale blue nightie that was torn around the bottom and across the shoulder. There was no light in here, only a musty feeling of pain and a deep engulfment of sadness. She moved her legs slowly the links in the chains clinking as they shifted. He heard her sob, he tried to move toward her but Zoe placed her hand on his chest. Jack looked around the space, anything to not gaze at the girl. There was nothing, not a piece of furniture nor a window. The sick feeling that had been growing in his throat increased. He could feel his heart hammering against his chest. This was everything he stood against as a Guardian. Zoe simply stood. Watching.

A man entered the room in the far doorway. The girl broke into tears, Jack's breath halted as she tried to pitifully scramble away. But it was clear to even him that the child's ankles were broken. She yelped in pain but still tried to move. Jack couldn't help but take a step forwards, Zoe grabbed his top and held him in place.

'No.' She said, he looked at her stamping his staff and creating a breeze. It rippled around the room. Zoe ignored his outburst and continued watching the little girl.

'You can't be serious..'

'We do not interfere,' she muttered her voice still devoid of emotion. Jack scowled. The man had managed to get a hold of the girl's clothing and he pulled her from the corner she had tried to hide in. Jack could feel his whole body shudder with repressed anger. The girl clawed at his hands, making the beast of a man laugh. Jack watched as the beast had his way with the child. No he didn't watch, he turned away. He tried, tried to fight out of Zoe's grip, but she held him, with that unnatural strength she contained. He wished to kill this man, felt it deep in his gut. He didn't understand why he had to watch this, why he was here. He felt the bile rise in his throat burning his tongue. Then the moment came. The girl bit at the man, a raw animal moment. She tore her teeth into his throat, the man screamed an agonizing curse. Zoe's grip tightened.

The beast lashed out with his fist. Blood made his fists slip as he lunged again and again. Jack breathed in heavily and quickly as he heard bones snap and the girl's cries grew more and more desperate, more gurgled as her lungs failed. After what seemed lifetime he dropped the child's body. He clutched at his bleeding throat, Jack struggled in vain to move closer but she held him. The beast staggered out the room, cursing. The door slammed. Only when Jack's pulse dropped did Zoe let him go. Then she moved. Crossing the room to the child. Her eyes flicked to Zoe's wings, but what Jack noticed was, she held no fear. The child simply looked at her, blues eyes dimming.

Zoe was covered in cuts and bruises, her wings were so large they couldn't spread, her presence filled the room. Only when the light vanished in the young girl's eyes did she move. Her fingers brushed across her eyelids and closed them. Jack watched with fascination, his anger stilled with curiosity. He could see a glow from the child and it reflected from Zoe's eyes. Her hands moved from her eyes and placed over her heart, she flicked her wrist and something happened. A shadow of the girl rose from her body, it was translucent and wavered in the slight breeze. At first the scars were obvious, but slowly she changed. Her hair became brighter, longer, with a slight curl. Her freckles appeared across her nose and cheeks. Her clothing changed into a pretty blue spotted dress, that had a white ribbon around her waist. Jack felt as if he couldn't breathe, he didn't see this before. Zoe smiled for the first time since they entered the building. It was full of love and sadness, exactly how Jack felt at that moment. Pure ambivalence.

'He's gone,' the child whispered looking at her body. Zoe took her hands. 'I thought I would never be free...'

'Follow me?' She asked. The girl nodded. The girl looked at Jack and then back to Zoe, who smiled and nodded more. The young child giggled and touched Jack's staff.

'It's funny,' she grinned. Zoe tugged on her hand and lead her through the building. Jack stumbled trying to keep up. The confusion running through his mind screamed in hordes. He didn't know what to make of all of this. Zoe paused on the lawn, the sun was setting, casting a glow across the grass.

'What's your name?' Zoe said kneeling down to the young girl's level.

'Alison,' she giggled still looking at Jack. Zoe smiled more, holding the girl's hands again. She had a slight frown to her features.

'Alison, do you know who I am?'

'An angel?' She whispered touching Zoe's wings. Jack felt his lips twitch, the shock on Zoe's face was obvious.

'No, no. I'm... I'm here to make sure that the pain, never, ever happens again,' Zoe said calmly. 'That man can't hurt you any more. Do you understand me?'

'I wished for the pain to stop. My mum will be upset,' Alison murmured. Zoe's eyes finally dimmed. She hugged the girl, who leant into her shoulder and cried. Jack felt his own throat begin to burn, but he held it back. Zoe had closed her eyes and he could see the tears that trickled down her cheek. Alison sobbed and screamed, the reality of her young life breaking open the flood gates. 'I'm never going to see my mum again am I?' She wailed. Zoe shook her head. Jack felt some of his anger resurface. This was wrong.

'I can send you to a place where nothing is bad. No-one can hurt you, and one day, your mother will join you,' Zoe promised. That is what she believed. Alison pulled from herself from Zoe's embrace.

'You can do that?'

'Yes Alison, I can. I can open the door, but I can only open it once. It's your choice to go through, I can't choose for you,' Zoe, said with half a smile. 'Would you like me to open the door?' Alison looked worried, and for the first time scared. She looked over to where Jack was standing. He could feel his hands shaking. He barely managed a smile at the young soul. Alison knelt and whispered in Zoe's ear. The spirit of Death nodded. Alison's features broke into a wide smile and she giggled.

'I want to go,' she said with a laugh. Zoe nodded and waved her hand, a door flickered. Jack almost dropped his staff in shock. So this is what she would do... The wood was a varnished oak, a stained glass window of a bluebell adorned the middle. Alison took hold of the handle and twisted, she must have seen something that they couldn't. Even with Zoe's power because she laughed in glee. She hugged Zoe tightly and with a wave at Jack, she ran through the door. It shut behind her quietly. Zoe stood up and brushed the grass off her knees. She breathed in deeply.

…

'Jack,' I said addressing him for the first time. He looked at me, his eyes full of hurt and anger. There are so many things I want to do. I want to apologise, hug him, punch him. All of those, but I can't bring myself to do any.

'Will I always be able to see this?' He said bluntly.

'Not if you don't want to, I c-'

To my horror. That disgusting faecal matter of a man walked out the back door. I breathed in deeply holding myself back. Even a few thousand years on and it doesn't get any easier. Jack set his jaw to a determined line and began to walk toward him. 'No!' I shout running in front of him, ignoring the spikes of pain that run through my body at the effort. To be honest I'm ready to fucking collapse. But I can't let him do this.

'I can't believe you! Protecting him!' Jack said angrily. The wind began to whip around us. That bastard walked past and opened the gate to the house. He had a piece of material held to his neck. My hands itched for my scythe to appear, but I had to be calm. 'You just stood there. You watched the entire thing. And yet you won't do anything?! Nothing at all?!' He shook his head at me and turned away. What he said next was like a blade driving into my heart. 'No wonder the Guardians didn't want me to find out about you,' he sighed, not looking back at me. 'They were right. You were right. You're just a Spirit of Death.'

I feel myself snap. Jack's thoughts about me pinged back and forth between like and hate. Well fuck you Jack, I've had enough. I'm not going to hurt myself over you any more.

'Who the hell do you think you are Jack Frost?!' I say, but he's has already taken off. I run and flap until I feel my feet leave the ground. The pain is almost crippling but I persevere. Luckily for me, I'm a lot faster even though I fucking hurt. I manage to catch up grabbing his staff. He drops like a stone. Before he hits the ground I catch his arm and I slow him down enough, for when he hits the grass of the meadow we've passed over, he merely rolls. I throw the staff at him. He scowls flipping it into his hands and when I get close he pushes me back with his staff.

'Who do you think you are?! You stood there a let an innocent girl die!' He shouted at me. I didn't know that this was going to happen. But it just goes to show that he truly has no idea of the Duty that I do. Well this proves everything. I scream and leap at him.

'You fucking ignorant arsehole!' I spit as I knock him to the ground. He struggles with me. But the tears are flowing and I'm a lot stronger than him. I pin him down by his shoulders. 'You have no fucking idea! After all this time! After all I've shown you! You still just don't get it!' I pound his chest. Jack struggles and I feel coldness rush up my hips. As long as his staff was touching him, he was more powerful. I beat my wings trying to get away from the cold.

'You let her die!' He shouts, 'I swore to protect children! You just stood there!' His hands were creating the ice on my hips. I'm straddling him our faces inches away from each other. All the fight has left me. I'm tired. I sob, unashamedly. I fall onto his chest.

'You're so fucking trivial.' I whisper. Jack doesn't move. For some reason he lets me lay there. I can feel his heartbeat. 'You think the reason you're here is so important. But it's not. Could you have the responsibility of who lives and dies? Do you not think I've tried? Playing with fate. For thousands and thousands of years I've watched. Watched the pain, the love. Do you want to know why I watched Jack? Why I simply don't turn around and wait for the right time. It's an insult to their memory. Her memory. I was to be the only person that saw her pain. I felt every moment. That's why I watched. I can't die, Jack. But I can't be the judge.' I'm crying as I speak, also I'm pretty sure that he probably can't understand a word I'm sobbing so much. Honest to god I don't fucking care.

The freezing sensation that I had felt on my hips and down my legs disappear. His hands move under the hoodie that he leant me. I feel my own heart beat pick up. They run over my hips and end up on the base of my back, one travels upwards and rests at just under my wings. He holds me closer. I look up, half scared of what I see. He looks at me with his piercing blue eyes, I feel my heart stammer. I realise my fear. I don't want to lose him. I don't know why.

'I'm so sorry Jack,' I whisper. I'm so sorry that I asked you, if you wanted to see. Sorry that we saw the worst possible thing I could ever think of. I'm sorry that I met you. That I can feel my heart racing at the touch of your hands. The sight of your smile. I'm sorry that you're so kind, taking a chance speaking to a Spirit that everyone else hates. Of course I don't say this to him. But I feel it deep in my heart. I close my eyes and try to move from his embrace.

'No.' I hear him say. He sits up, crossing his legs underneath me. My legs are still wrapped around his hips. He removes his hands and stares at me. His hands shake as he raises one of them to my cheek, I can feel my breath falter. His thumb traces across my lip. 'I'm sorry. I let my fear get the better of me. Control me.' He sighs. 'I'm just as bad as everyone else.' I can't describe how I feel. But the sheer relief of his words made me slump slightly. 'I see now, that, in your own way you protect them. I am glad this happened, Zoe,' he admits.

'You're glad?' I repeat.

'Yes,' he nods. His white hair was sticking up in all odd directions. I smiled as I pulled a strand back into it's proper place. I can't help the tear that falls from my cheek.

'I remember every face. The way they pass. Every single one. The ribbons of their death, tied to my being. The way I live. How can you be glad that this happened?' I murmur, turning my head. He sighs, his fingers grip my chin and he makes me look at him.

'The innocence of a child cannot be refused, Zoe. They see things in only truth, although they may not understand it,' he said. He was being strangely perceptive. Although I have no idea what the fuck he's going on about. He pressed his forehead against mine.

'I don't understand you,' I half heartedly giggle. Things aren't happening the way I thought. A lot of things surprise me when I'm around this spirit.

'Alison called you an Angel,' he clarified. I scoff but he holds me tight. One hand under my wings the other cupping my face. 'You are.'

'This is a change of tune,' I say bitterly.

'I am a fool Zoe. Y'know this.' He leans forward, I've been avoiding his gaze, his nose touches the tip of mine and I feel my blush kick off.

'Yeah, I do,' I smile, despite myself.

'You're my Angel,' he whispers, moving closer. I close my eyes as I feel his breath on my lips.

…

'I will kill him!' Pitch screamed. 'He will know such a pain, he would never believe that is existed. I will tear everything that he holds dear to him and destroy it!' He sighs turning back to the sand glass that he had been observing them through. He had been increasing Jack's fear, twisting it. It was working. He shunned her. But then she just couldn't leave it be.

'Daya.' He rubbed his temples. 'Four thousand years and we still play this game,' he looked at the sand glass where he had frozen the image of her smiling. 'Enjoy this for the moment. It will soon end. Jack Frost, you will not live long enough to enjoy this.'

'I promise you that, Daya, my dear.'

**Well. I hope that was worth the wait. For those who did not heed my warning and found this chapter offensive. I am sorry. I didn't wish to ruin the chapter at the beginning. For those of you who did like it, please leave a review. If I do not receive any I will not continue. This chapter has been extremely hard for me to write. A word letting me know that it is worth continuing will help greatly. Thank you in advance.**


	9. Chapter 9

**oOShinahiOo – They haven't quite kissed. Not yet :D Tooth is bound to be**

**very, very shocked. You'll just have to wait.**

**Soaringphoenix86 – Jack is a sly one I'll admit. I didn't expect him to do that **

**Personally, but my fingers have a life of their own. All questions will**

**be answered in time I promise. Also, I may, just for you write an **

**incredibly embarrassing moment where all the ''men'' have a chat.**

**Blackvelvet97 – Again sorry about the long wait. Puppy's name is Lottie. She's**

**a little terror! Up early every morning**

**Seabiscuit – Flar. I need not write anything here. **

**DevineGuardianAngle – Thank you. It's thanks to people like you**

**who review that keep me going :D**

**Chapter 9 – Easy does it.**

Oh my fucking god. I swear my pulse is going so fast I'm going to flat line. If I could. Hah. The one time I think that I can't die and I do. That would be ironic. Uh, I suppose I'm babbling because a certain someone is millimetres away from me. More specifically, his hand is holding my cheek and I can feel him leaning towards me. As if to... y'know. Kiss... For someone that I only met what a couple of days ago, things change quickly. I never thought I would be here. Ever. Honestly a thousand thoughts are racing through my mind. Most of them being along the train of; oh god yes! But remember when I had to choose between Jack and the Duty? I chose to save him? Yeah, well that's going to bite me in the arse. Alison's lifeline has to be earthed, normally this wouldn't be a problem, but I spent a lot of energy saving Jack, then giving him the sight; My ability to safely hold the energy is wearing thin. If it discharges by accident there would be a serious accident. Saplings would grow into trees and whither in seconds, and whoever was nearby would suffer the same fate. Because of my Duty, I can't let this happen. Not here. At least, not now. I just have to hope that he understands. Surprisingly this rail of thought only takes an instant, and my mind is made.

…

Jack's lips brushed Zoe's just before she turned her head. He felt the stab of rejection, but he made no fuss. The kiss landed on her cheek instead. She looked at him and smiled. He knew he shouldn't have rushed it. He bit his lip cursing loudly and frequently in his mind. Zoe grabbed his chin and looked him straight in the eye, she smiled more brightly. 'I have to go home, Jack, this...' She sighed and blushed a bright pink, Jack couldn't help but feel his heart lift when he saw that. When she next spoke it was very quiet, 'we... this... us. Will have to wait,' she gave a little giggle. The pain of rejection lessened a little in Jack's chest. Her tone sounded sincere and serious. He could tell at that moment that she didn't want to stop him. Which held great hopes for the future. Except this time he wouldn't rush it. He nodded and she leant back from him, sitting properly upright. She leant back too fast and the weight of her wings tipped her. Jack increased his grip and held her tightly. Zoe had gone pale and looked incredibly ill, Jack felt worry plague his mind.

'Do you want me to leave?' He asked. The feeling of confidence had left him, and he was very aware of how her legs were wrapped around his waist. He was going to refuse to leave her if she said yes, but he felt that he should at least ask.

'What? Uh, no,' she laughed. Jack chuckled. She looked around. 'Honestly I think the only way I'm going to be able to get up is if I lie down and then, if you wouldn't mind pulling me?' Jack laughed properly and nodded. Zoe smiled letting herself fall back, she unwound her legs from the winter spirit and watched as he stood with agile to his feet. He flicked his staff into his hands and offered the crook to her. She grabbed the curved wood and urged her knees to work as he easily pulled her so she was standing. 'I have to hurry,' she winced, her skin looked like it pulsed with an inner light. 'Come on,' she urged looking at the sky.

Jack rolled his eyes, he held her around the waist and a cold breeze engulfed them. 'Is this the only reason you want me to come?' He joked. Zoe gave him a look, one that was mixed with pain. He laughed nervously, but subconsciously urged them to go faster. Zoe gave little direction, it turned out that they weren't far from where she lived. It was getting harder and harder for Jack to hold onto her, the light that was slowly pulsing under her skin was getting brighter and faster. It almost created it's own force and he felt the pressure. He had to land on a cliff that overlooked a large forest underneath, a wide green expanse that went on for miles. Zoe fell to her knees. The flowers that were growing around on the thin grass, bloomed and withered the longer she was near them. Jack grabbed her under the arms and pulled her up. 'Come on Angel. Where am I going?' He asked, Zoe gave a small smile and looked over the forest, she pointed weakly at a clump of trees. 'There, that's where you live?' Jack said with doubt. Zoe breathed a giggle and nodded. Who was he to refuse? He picked her up bridal style and jumped, his staff held awkwardly in between her wings. Zoe moaned, Jack didn't feel too good himself, he flew quickly to the area and looked around he could see nothing. It was becoming harder and harder to keep a hold of her, he could hear the trees around them creaking as their growth was accelerated.

'Fly,' she whispered, clutching her chest. Jack raised a brow.

'Zoe, there's nothing but tre-'

'FLY!' She yelled out, Jack breathed in deeply. Okay he was going to fly straight into a tree trunk, no make that several trees but he would do as she said. He flew half closing his eyes, to guard against the impact. But before they collided Zoe thrust out a hand and the trees rippled. He flew straight through and collided on something soft, her bed. Zoe weakly untangled herself and crawled across the floor. The pulsing was faster and brighter and it was doing devastating things to the foliage. Her whole home shook and twisted, the trees grew extra branches, shuddering the inside of her house began to collapse. Jack managed to get off the bed and he ran over to her helping her up. He dodged a growing limb that would have skewered him to the other wall. Things were becoming incredibly dangerous. There was a creak as her bed snapped in half, the cabinets along the far wall were being pushed forward. Zoe guided them to her table and grabbed a pencil. Then she threw it away. 'No... time...' she groaned. Jack winced something was happening to him and he didn't like it. He could see Zoe's nails and hair growing longer, he himself felt a tightening with his skin. She angled herself to the cabinets. The floor buckled underneath them. Then without warning a branch erupted from the floor separating the both of them, Jack was thrown across the room and he hit another branch. Zoe thankfully, was pushed toward the cabinets. She crawled to one that had fallen over and pulled the door off. Jack could do nothing but watch as she tore out a small stone and held it to her mouth, the pulsing in her skin stopped and he saw a bright ribbon burst from her chest and earth itself in the stone. 'Alison,' she whispered, the stone itself glowed brighter and brighter until as quickly as it began it stopped. Zoe sighed and dropped the gem. It was so hot from all the energy that it scolded the wood around it. Jack waited for a second before moving, it seemed that the growing had stopped. Her home was destroyed, there were branches everywhere. It had even lost the basic shape as the trees twisted. She slumped against the wall.

'Woah,' was all Jack could say.

She looked up and smiled a little. 'I guess the place is fucked huh,' she muttered sadly. She looked devastated. Jack tore himself from a branch, he had a couple of cuts and bruises, he climbed his way to her and sat next to her. She looked at him, before leaning into his chest. Her wings were tucked in tightly to her spine. Jack was a little wary of her contact but put his arm around her, his fingers fiddled with her hair. 'I've been here for hundreds of years. It took me about four decades just to get the trees right...now it's ruined.' She sniffed.

'I'm sorry Angel,' he said pressing his cheek against her hair. She smiled at the use of a pet name. They sat in silence for a while, the trees still creaked and groaned where they were finally slowing down. Zoe sighed and pushed a bit of cabinet with her bare foot. Paper, drawings and ribbons of energy still flowed around the room. Jack saw that there were about six pretty coloured stones that scattered the floor, he picked up a picture and saw a teenage boy's face stare back at him. 'What's this?' He asked. A light ribbon of light flickered from the picture and touched one of the stones.

'It's what I call ''earthing.'' People's life lines still have energy, even once they've passed. I earth it in the drawing, and they discharge it into the gem. Once the energy has run out the picture breaks apart. Those stones used to be in the hilt of my scythe. I'm supposed to use the energy. But I don't. If I don't earth the life line quickly enough... this happens.' She touched one of the warped trees.

'It's happened before?' He replied.

'Once, when I first removed the gems from the scythe, I used egg timers back then,' she giggled. 'They took up so much room. I was so stupid all those years ago, oh by the way your hair has grown longer. Also you seemed to have aged a couple of years. Sorry about that,' she laughed leaning forward and picking one up. 'Each stone represents something, this one is fire, see the reddish glow?' She said passing it to Jack. It was the one she used to earth Alison's essence. 'I only need one, the stones don't fill up or anything,' she smiled. Jack held it in his palm. It was still warm, maybe it was always warm. Being a fire thing after all.

'Why not carry one on you?' He said, he ran his other hand through his hair. It did seem a lot longer. He wasn't too worried about the age thing. A couple of years wouldn't change him a lot. He could see that Zoe's hair had grown at least a few inches. He hoped he didn't sound stupid, it seemed logical. Zoe smiled, it was a fair question. She nodded to one of the other stones that was lying arm's length away from Jack.

'Pick that one up,' she said bluntly. He did as she asked and picked it up, almost dropping it in shock. It was freezing cold. He didn't feel the cold like other people, but it was still a surprise. 'Now, try to float.'

'Float?'

'Yeah, without touching your staff,' she added.

'I can't,' he said with a tinge of laughter. Zoe raised a brow and gave him a look. He flicked it in his hand and sent one back.

'Humour me,' she rolled her eyes. Jack chuckled and shuffled forward into an open bit of floor. 'Just cross your legs and do what you would do to fly,' she said with a shrug. Jack did what she said and with a chuckle crossed his legs. He tossed the stone from one hand to the other and after a scolding look from Zoe, settled down and tried to concentrate. He knew nothing would happen, so when it did, he lost control a little and rose too fast and suddenly fell back to the floor. Zoe cracked up with laughter. She clutched at her ribs. He looked over at her from the floor. She laughed harder as his hair fell in front of his eyes.

'What the hell happened?!' He said picking himself up.

'The stone, it holds energy. Therefore you can use it. It helps you to fly, I suppose its almost a substitute for your staff,' she giggled. 'Oh god, ow that hurts.' Jack frowned as her discomfort. 'I need a fuck load of food, and to not move for at least an hour. Eighteen hours would be fabulous,' she smiled.

'We should gather what you need and then go to North's. Pitch can't get you there and we'll be safe,' Jack said. Zoe smiled bitterly and nodded.

'Okay, but you'll have to give me a moment to get up,' she sighed. Jack moved over to where she sat and tilted her head towards him. She stilled once more, but this time there wasn't anything that could happen. 'Jack...' she whispered as he moved closer. He smiled and ran his thumb over the corner of her lip.

'We have time,' he replied. 'Or is there something else that you haven't told me?' Zoe laughed lightly and shook her head. Jack smiled, he wanted to kiss her. He felt the pull, the need to feel her lips against his. But, it wasn't like it was in the field. She had just lost her home, he could sense her sadness. She was in great pain also. It wasn't fair, but although they had time, it wasn't right. Jack closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers. He felt her smile and she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her. In the end her cheek was pressed against hers as she clung to him. He felt her breath behind his ear and her nails scrape his shoulders as she gripped tighter. Then he felt the warmth of her tears on his skin. Without saying a word he shifted and let her curl into his lap, her wings opening slightly so she didn't lose balance. She cried into the crook of his throat, he held her and stroked her hair. Yes, there was no need to rush things, they had plenty of time.

**Yeah okay pretty crappy I know. It's a cool down chapter. Please review if you liked it. Crappy as it was xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**oOShinahiOo – Admittedly I am cruel to her. But this isn't a tragedy. She will **

**be happy. I promise you that. **

**Soaringphoenix86 – Squeals in happiness* Yay! So I'm not the only person**

**who knows that law! I totally wrote it with that in mind! I'm so happy that **

**someone picked up on it! See here I was thinking, that Bunny was the player. **

**Although, Sandy is a close second. This is the chapter for you. **

**Cheshirecat – I know, I'm sorry! They will kiss. In time. Thank you **

**for your review, I will make sure that when they do kiss that it's awesome!**

**Seabiscuit – I wrote that scene with you in mind 3**

**DevineGuardianAngle – Thank you. I always feel that I don't quite **

**make the connection from story to reader. I'm glad to hear that**

**it was different for you.**

**Thank you to all those who review, favourited and added to alerts. YAY! Lots of love to you all xxx**

**Chapter 10 – Double digits, double the embarrassment.**

Ugh. I've only gone and done it again. Is there not a day that passes where I don't burst into tears? I'm like a broken record. Don't get me wrong I know I'm allowed to be upset. I've lost a lot. My home, my friend; yeah, I'm talking about Pitch. Don't care. Bite me. I've lost my family. Not a moment goes past where I don't believe that this is all a dream... Okay, self pitying rant over. Let's think about happier things, yes? Like, uh, here's a subject; Jack Frost. That's definitely a lot better. I mean come on. This guy, who frankly isn't too bad on the eyes, and also has a personality to match. Now, his hair has grown a couple of inches and hung in front of his eyes. His shoulders have broadened and he's grown a taller. Seeing as I came up to his nose, I probably only come up to his shoulder now. If I haven't grown that is. Last time this happened a couple of people lost about eighty years. I aged about a year in total, but that didn't make a lot of difference. I'm at that age. The discharge is a little unfair, I suppose it's because I'm in the epicentre I don't get affected as much, as those around me. I mean, I thought he was attractive before, now he's well... to coin a phrase – Drop dead gorgeous. The whole going slow thing might prove to be a little tricky now. But I might as well just go with whatever happens, seeing as I thought that nothing like this would ever happen to me. Everything is a plus. I suppose. But, let's move on. Back to what's actually happening. I'm in pain, trust me not something I want to think about. And I've just blubbed like a fucking child into Jack's chest.

I wipe my eyes and lean back. I don't want to look at him, but I do. He grins at me and chuckles. I sigh wiping my eyes again with the sleeve of his borrowed hoodie. Which reminds me, I'm going to need my clothing. Or what's left of it. This hoodie is tight, but seems to have... gotten.. tighter? Oh for fucks sake. Really?! That's what the energy did to me, sped up my, uh, growth? That's all I fucking need. I breathe in deeply trying to hide my annoyance. Jack seems to notice that something is wrong, but he knows well enough to leave alone. I look around. Some things are salvageable. My bed is trashed, along with my cabinets. I'm going to have to carry my scythe powered for a while. Speaking of which...

'Pass me that dark coloured one there please,' I ask. He smiles and leans away reaching for the small stone. He hands it to me and I wipe my eyes again. Bear in mind that I'm still sitting in his lap. A few of the energy trails are still linked to the gem, I wave them off and they link up with a closer, different stone. I hold the stone in my hand trying to remember what it is that I have to do. It's been quite a few thousand years since I tried this technique. But I'm pretty sure that I've got it. It should make the journey to North's a lot easier. 'Right, uh. This should work,' I mutter.

'Should work?'

'Yeah well, it's been a while since I got beaten up okay?' I reply. I catch sight of his expression and have to add a smile. I meant it in a jokey way, but I'm guessing my voice didn't portray that. He gives me half a grin as he looks back. I grip the gem tightly and concentrate. I feel the energy flow into my body and begin to heal the wounds that adorn my skin and muscles. It gets a little tricky around my back, I can feel the energy try to reject the black sand that created my wings. With a little struggle I manage to divert it. I can feel my strength return to me and my skin flushes. I breathe out deeply. I know that Jack is hurt, so before I lose concentration I place my hand on his chest and do the same. He gasps and places his hand on mine, I can sense the energy healing the injuries he had suffered. It only takes a couple of seconds before he's back to normal. I remove my hand and the glowing stops.

'That's new,' he blurts. I can't help but laugh. He checks his arm where one of the nightmares had caught him earlier. The cut and bruise had disappeared, there was only a thin white scar. Barely noticeable against his pale skin. He twists my head to where before I had a nasty cut under my jaw. I can't help but giggle as he runs his fingers over where it was. 'It's gone! Zoe that's amazing!'

'Well, it takes a stupid amount of energy, I wouldn't be able to do it without a good few hundred years of saving. Things like this aren't supposed to be changed. But it won't heal everything, you'll still feel tired and hungry. It just speeds up your natural healing process that's all,' I explain, my shoulder is still a little busted, I have my new wings to thank for that. 'Oh, and to answer your question from earlier, I can't carry them on me, if someone found out about them, and actually managed to get their hands on one? There would be serious trouble.'

'Does Pitch know about them?' Jack asked me. Damn my habit of telling the truth! I sigh and settle for nodding. Yeah, he does. That's why I'm worried. With this new sand that he uses, I'm afraid that if he gets his hands on a stone we would be in serious, serious danger. Well, the Guardians would be. 'Ah, that's not good,' Jack muses. I tilt my head and give him a look. That's the understatement of the day.

'But enough about him,' I brush the subject of Pitch away. I really don't wanna talk about him. 'I need food. You do too. There should be some under what remains of my bed.' He nods smiling at me, we spend the next half hour making our way around my ruined home, gathering things that I need and packing them into a backpack. It's mostly clothing and food. I pick up my stones and with a little of my power I reset them into my scythe. I already feel more powerful and I don't like it. I turn around to see Jack holding an item of clothing with a bright blushing look on his face. He caught my eye and dropped it as if it had grown red hot.

'I didn't know! I just pulled it out!' He explained quickly. I held up my hand to stifle a laugh. He ran his hand through his hair in embarrassment.

'It's just a bra, Jack,' I chuckle, picking it up. Thankfully it was a nice one. One of my favourites actually, purple lined with a white lace. Although just by the feel of it, it's now going to be too small. Talking of too small, the hoodie I'm now wearing is clinging to just below my hips. Oh great, so my bust line wasn't the only thing that changed. I've grown taller, my legs are definitely a lot longer. That I don't mind. The whole wider hips and bust line however is really annoying. I know there was a few years left when I died, but come on! I glance up at Jack who's looking a little awkward. I don't blame him. I sigh and put it down. 'Don't worry about this sort of stuff, uh, just try to find a,' uh. Great now none of my clothing will fit. Well, these shorts seem to be holding up, they're still just above mid thigh. 'A large top or something. There should be some hoodies if you wanna take off the torn t-shirt.' He coughs and nods. I look in a shard of mirror that lays on the floor and see that Jack's hoodie is showing a little of my stomach. I roll my eyes. Oh wonderful. Jack's aged into this even more attractive, handsome winter Spirit. And me? I've become some type of tarty looking cosplayer. Brilliant.

When we finish scavenging for things, my back pack isn't even full. We've eaten almost all the food while looking and I feel back to my normal self. Kinda. Y'know minus the obvious things. I hold it up and sling onto a shoulder. 'That's pretty pathetic. I've been here for hundreds of years and yet, my life fits into one bag,' I mutter.

'I have a couple of hoodies Angel, that's it. It just means you've been working. The only people I know who have actual belongings are, well, other people,' he finished lamely. I laugh at his words. He's right of course. I've worked this whole time, I've had no need for things.

'Come on then, let's go to the big Russian bloke's place. Please tell me it's not far,' I plead. Jack winces. I sigh, 'it's fucking miles isn't it?'

'About seven hours flight,' he replies.

'Oh that's bloody brilliant,' I mutter. 'Where the fuck are we going?! The Artic?' The look on his face says it all. I gape, 'you can't be serious. The North pole?'

'How have you not heard of Santa Claus, the jolly fat man that lives in the North Pole?' Jack said to me with a unbelieving glance. I shake my head. Look all I know is that there's a Rabbit, a Fairy, Sandman obviously, and a great big Russian bloke. Other than that I don't pay attention to where they live! Why the hell would I?

'Look. All I know is that he's a Guardian. Who drops presents on small children made by little things. That's it,' I scowl back, my hands making a scurrying motion. Yeah, I feel stupid okay. Jack smiles and walks towards me, he pulls me into a hug. Which is a shock in it's self. It's only a brief embrace but it sets my heart rate skittering.

'Oh Angel, you are in for a big surprise,' he chuckles.

…

Zoe gasped as she entered the large bustling workshop. Yetis brushed past her and elves ran about her feet. A couple of them grabbed her feathers as they trailed along the ground. They had managed to make good time, with Jack's ability to command the wind and Zoe's large wing span they caught a fair bit of speed. She was tired, but pleasantly so. She flicked them off with a brief flap, Jack laughed and took her hand pulling her forward to keep up with North who was striding ahead. Zoe paused at a group of elves that were fighting over a small cake. She looked at Jack, 'I always thought the elves made the toys,' she said to him. Jack laughed and dragged her off. North was waiting by a door with a large smile on his face. He had heard what she had said. Jack steered her by the shoulders into North's study. He took her bag from her and placed it by the door. North chuckled at them and leant against his table. Zoe looked at him with a worried look on her face.

'Jack, my friend. May I have a moment please?' He asked. Jack looked at Zoe who smiled.

'It'll be fine,' she whispered to him. He smiled and with a tilted nod at North he left the study and closed the door behind him. Zoe shuffled her feet and avoided his gaze.

'You look different since last time I see you. Jack too,' he said jovially. Zoe winced.

'There was a small accident,' she clarified. 'It won't happen again. Just a little trouble,' she said hoping that North wouldn't push it. He seemed to get her mental hints and did indeed keep any questions to himself. 'I'm sorry for intruding on your hom-' North shrugged her apology away and hugged in her a one armed grip.

'I am one who should be sorry. All these years. Do you think you could ever forgive myself and the other Guardians?' He asked. Zoe sighed. That wound was deep and heavily scarred. She managed to wriggle out of his hug and she moved over to the window. North let her go.

'I... I will try, North. That's the most I can say,' she whispered. North crossed the room and placed a hand on her shoulder.

'That is the most we can ask for.' He chuckled. 'You stay as long as needed. Simply ask for anything. We can get it.' He assured her. Zoe thought for a moment.

'Would you be able to be able to get me some clothing?' She asked. North laughed and nodded. He called for a Yeti as he opened the door. Jack was outside, he stumbled in followed by several flittering creatures. Zoe raised a brow as she watched.

'Baby Tooth! Baby Tooth! It's still me! I've just gotten taller that's all,' he said hastily to a flickering blur that zipped around his head, Zoe could hear a small squeaking. 'Yeah I know my hair is longer, I'm gonna get it cut, would you all calm down?!' He asked as they began to pull at his clothing and hair. Zoe held back a giggle. Which soon turned into a frown as Tooth flew through the doorway.

'Oh Jack! Look at you! What happened?' She gripped his face and ran her fingers over his cheek and jaw. Zoe rolled her eyes, his ageing was barely noticeable. Well, it was, but only in the sense that he had grown a few inches, he wasn't as skinny and his hair had grown. Jack smiled and took her hands from him.

'Tooth, I'm fine. See,' he opened his mouth jokingly showing her his teeth. 'Everything's fine,' he laughed. Tooth smiled and hugged him tightly.

'We were worried! Bunny said that you had disappeared! Her too!' Jack gave her a foul look. 'Uh, I mean Zoe. She had gone as well,' Tooth corrected. Jack's expression softened. Zoe turned away and rubbed her eyes with the balls of her fingers. The fairy fan club twittered and squeaked around him. Tooth and Jack spoke for a while. Zoe simply stood looking out the window, until a fairy flew over to her and zipped around her head. The small creature twittered at her, Zoe shrugged now knowing what on earth this thing was trying to say. That's when Tooth noticed her and let go of Jack. Zoe smiled awkwardly and smiled. Jack walked over to her and grabbed her hand.

'Zoe's staying here for a while,' Jack explained. Tooth's eyes flickered to their clasped hands. Zoe felt the blush that pinked her cheeks. Luckily Zoe didn't have to listen to what she had to say because Sandman and Bunny appeared.

'Crikey mate! You just up and vanish?! Sheila too! Strewth, you trying to give me a heart attack?!' Bunny exclaimed. Zoe couldn't help the smirk that crossed her face.

'Aw, Bunny you do care,' Jack laughed. Bunny shook his head.

'No, no, no, no mate. That's not it at all,' he tried to rephrase his words but Jack was too busy teasing him about it. Zoe noticed that someone was staring at her. She looked using her peripherals, it was Tooth and her fairies. She blushed an inferno and subconsciously slipped her hand out of Jacks. She suddenly felt very under dressed and nervous. Sandman tapped her hip, she looked down, he motioned with his head to follow him. She soundlessly faded. It was a skill she had mastered over her many years. You could still see her but only if you were looking. She moved away from Jack, Tooth and Bunny and followed the Sandman. He lead her to another room. She breathed easier in here, there weren't so many people. Especially people that didn't particularly like her.

'Thanks Sandman,' she said as she sat on the edge of a chair. This room had a large fireplace and several sofas. It was warm and calm in here. Zoe breathed in deeply and exhaled. It had been a long day. 'How have you been Sandy? It's been a while since I saw you,' Zoe asked. Sandy shrugged. He created a small picture scene, Zoe smiled as it changed. It had taken a while to learn how to understand the little man, but over the few days that she had spent with him it became second nature. They were in the middle of their conversation when Jack entered the room.

'I wondered where you had gone. You worried me,' he admitted. Zoe smiled.

'I haven't gone anywhere don't worry,' she laughed. Sandman waved a hello at Jack.

'I've got to go, North says there's this big storm I-'

'Jack. It's fine. Go. I'll be safe here. I'm a big girl,' Zoe assured him. One of North's yetis walked in with a bag. That must be the clothing that she had asked for. He nodded gripping his staff, Jack had suddenly grown shy. It made Zoe smile. 'Jack, go. I'll be here,' she shared a look with Sandy who chuckled. Jack blushed a little more and nodded. He flicked his fingers and sent a small breeze Zoe's way. She saw something glitter in the air, she reached out and caught it. It was a small snowflake, she smiled and looked to where Jack was standing, but he had already gone. Sandman tapped her leg, he told her he was going. 'Okay, I've got to get changed anyway.' She said with a smile.

…

Jack stood in the middle of the street with a confused look on his face. North said that he saw a large storm on it's way to this town. And now there was nothing. He walked down the pavement, idly touching things with his staff. It wasn't like North to lie. But he hadn't seen any sign of a storm anywhere. He frowned. The town was quiet, too quiet. He raised a brow. Was this Pitch? He saw a shadow flicker from behind him. He spun around, there is was again. Deja vu flickered through his mind. 'Okay guys, this is getting old,' Jack shouted out. Nothing. Then like he expected, Bunny stood in front of him. 'Really Cotton tail? What's this about?'

'Heya mate. Sorry about this.'

'Wha-' His words were cut off as a yeti grabbed him. 'Oh not agai-' he began. He heard Bunny laugh and the whoomph noise as a portal opened. He was picked up and thrown through. 'Oh for fucks sake!' He cursed as he landed on the hard floor. When the sack was opened, they weren't in North's home like he expected. They were in Bunny's Warren. North and Sandy were waiting already. Bunny appeared moments later. He was pulled out of the sack and dropped on his feet. Bunny was holding his staff.

'We're not making the same mistake as last time mate,' Bunny clarified.

'Guys, really? This again?!' Jack exclaimed brushing himself off. 'I mean come on. You just had to ask,' he moaned. He didn't like the looks on their faces. 'What is this about?'

'We uh, we need to talk to you mate,' Bunny coughed. Sandman nodded with a smile. The feeling of dread that he felt earlier reappeared. Something told him that this was not going to be fun. He tried taking a step back but a yeti held his shoulder. It looked like he was stuck there. 'It's about Sheila. Don't worry it's not like that.'

'I have a feeling I know what this is about and my answer is thanks, but no, I'd rather not talk about it,' Jack declined. Bunny exchanged a look with North and the other yeti held his other shoulder. Jack shook his head as they pinned him in place. It was his worst nightmare. 'no, guys, come on. Guys? Guys?!'

…

I pull out a few items from the bag. There was even some underwear, to my amazement it all fitted perfectly. Apart from the bloody bras. They were the right cup size, but my wings were in the way and I couldn't do the fucking thing up. I'm just going to have to go without. I managed to slip on a pair of skinny jeans. After slitting a couple of holes into a tank top and wrestling with my wings I pull them through. I miss my real wings. These things are nothing but a nuisance. I hold Jack's hoodie in my hands, I don't really want to leave it. I've grown quite attached to it. I settle for tying it around my waist. Oh god I'm tired. I wanted to wait until Jack had got back, but I don't think I'm going to be able to. I lay on my side on one of the sofas and rest. I feel my eyes drooping and before I know it, I've fallen asleep.

I feel pressure on my cheek, my eyes flicker open.

'Hello darling,' a familiar voice said. I jolt awake. I can't move. I'm not even in North's home any more.

'Where am I?' I demand. He strokes my cheek and I feel the revulsion rise in my throat. I look around, there's nothing but darkness and smoke. Pitch is laying beside me, I scowl at him. 'I'm dreaming,' I state.

'Yes darling, isn't it wonderful, we always used to share dreams..'

'What do you want?!' I spit at him. He chuckles at me and pulls me close to him. He looks above us. Out of curiosity I do the same. The smoke swirls around and creates an image. It's Jack, I feel my breath still. The image warps and I walk over to him, he holds out his hand, I watch as our two figures leap and fly into the sky, our hands joined. Pitch sighs next to me, I still can't move and I don't like where this is going. The figures change and they're embraced, the same way that we were when were in the field. My heart clenches. Pitch takes my hand and pulls it across his chest.

'Oh darling, I was so unhappy to see this, I thought you understood,' he drawls. 'I was going to tell you your name, I thought it would make a nice gift, but now...'

'Let me go Pitch,' I say quietly. This is my dream right? I should be able to control it. I think really hard and the place around us flickers.

'Oh well done darling,' he laughs sitting us both up. 'That was a good try. But you see, as long as these,' he trails his hand down my feathered wing, the sand rippled at his touch. 'Are a part of you, I will be able to control your dreams, and turn them into nightmares, unless you see sense.'

'And what?! Have the world filled with death and darkness?' I reply feeling my anger rise.

'Like it used to be,' he cooed. I shake my head.

'No, get out!' I shout.

'Darling,' he tried to talk but I could feel the dream warping. I'm more powerful, I have my stones, I just have to fight.

'No! No! No!' I scream, I can feel my arms. I struggle. Pitch scowled and gripped me tighter. 'Get off of me! Leave me alone! Get the fucking hint! I don't want you!' I shout at him. He grabbed my wrists and pulled me inches from his face.

'Who do you want?!' He demanded.

'JACK! I WANT JACK!' I screamed at him. Pitch sagged for a moment. I can feel that I've been crying. He scowls and the anger on his face actually scares the fuck out of me.

'Frost,' he whispers savagely. I whimper. I don't like what's going on. He grabs my head and captures my lips in his. I gag and try to push away. He tightens his grip and I feel his teeth catch my skin, blood bursts across my tongue. I'm thrashing and trying to push him away. I manage to wrestle one of my hands free and I lean back and slap him with all my strength.

'Leave me alone!' I screech. My power floods forth and he vanishes. The smoke and darkness fades. This time when I do jolt awake I really am awake. I'm covered in a sheen of sweat. My chest is burning and I still have the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. My fingers move to my mouth and touch my lips. I feel the warmth of my blood. Was it real, or just a dream? My heart is pounding it honestly feels like I've just had an anxiety attack. Suddenly I don't feel as tired. I don't want to be alone either.

…

Jack's face was a picture of pain. Bunny was awkwardly telling him about the time that he and Mother Nature spent a night together. Unintentionally of course, but it did lead onwards. Jack winced and half heartedly struggled. He had been here for about half an hour. North had tried to tell him about birds and bees and Jack almost haemorrhaged from embarrassment. None of the Guardians looked happy about this conversation, but North was insistent. The yetis hadn't lessened their grip, although Bunny had put down his staff, he wasn't close enough to grab it. The talking dragged on. Sandy caught the other's attention and made a picture of Zoe, then he transferred and made a picture of an hour glass and gave Jack the thumbs up.

'That's right mate, the Sheila has got a body on her,' Bunny laughed, Jack raised a brow. Was it possible to get drunk on embarrassment, because if it was, Bunny was over the limit. North chuckled and nudged the rabbit.

'She has curves and a smile to match! But she seems shy, you must not rush her Jack,' North laughed. Jack hung his head, he could feel his blush stain his cheeks. This was so painful. He wished that Pitch would appear simply for the distraction.

'Whoa, whoa whoa, what about Tooth?' Bunny asked. Sandman cocked his head and nodded. For the first time since the conversation started Jack spoke.

'What about Tooth?' Jack repeated.

'Well, we thought you and her might...' North clarified. Sandy nodded and created a little picture of a heart and an arrow through it. Jack groaned and shook his head. Sandy corrected his picture to a heart that had split into two.

'Oh. Kill me now,' Jack muttered. 'Please, someone...'

'Well, she's not gonna be happy about that,' Bunny chuckled. Jack struggled fruitlessly against the yetis.

'Guys?! Please, you've made your point! Clearly and in detail,' he shuddered at the memory. 'Can we please stop talking about this now?' He begged. Sandy laughed at his expression and tapped North's leg. North nodded and the yetis let him go. He looked at Sandman. 'You set this up didn't you?' Jack accused. Sandy winked at him. That was all the answer he needed. He snatched his staff and twirled it in his fingers. 'Hey North, how many of those snow globes have you got?' Jack asked innocently.

North reached into his pocket, 'just one. Enough to get us back,' he smiled. Jack grinned evilly. He spun his staff and thunked it into the ground letting loose a bolt freezing them all to the floor. Bunny and North swore and struggled, he even managed to capture Sandy in the blast. He walked over and took the globe from North's fingers.

'Nope. Enough for me to get back,' he threw it on the ground. 'Have fun getting back guys. I hope it was just as painful as that whole conversation.' He laughed at their expressions and stepped through the portal. He hadn't made a thick ice and he had no doubt that Bunny would open a couple of tunnels for them but it felt good seeing their shocked faces. He shuddered as he walked into North's study. He never wanted to go through that. Ever. Again.

'Jack!' He heard someone cry out his name, he turned to be landed on. It was Zoe.

'Hey! You okay?' He asked stroking her hair.

'I had a horrible dream, I think I've really fucked up,' she whispered.

'What? How?' He laughed.

'Pitch, kissed me...' she whispered clinging on to him. She felt his laughter die in his throat. He stilled. She clung to him tighter. For a moment Jack wished that he could rewind time and relive the last hours experience. It would be less painful than this.

**Well, I hope you liked it. :D Please review. Or I'll hold the next chapter to ransom mwahahahahaaa**


	11. Chapter 11

**oOShinahiOo –I have read the books, I do know that mother nature is his daughter :D But yeah going a little AU, but that little detail won't really matter to the whole story. Jack had better make a move, otherwise Zoe might get frightened off.**

**Soaringphoenix86 – Yeah, being a large bosomed woman myself, I know that being braless is not the easiest thing in the world. Now do I really play on this fact or just keep it as a minor detail... There's a reason Bunny's encounter was only a one night stand. I'm guessing she didn't tell him her heritage until he left for the next morning XD I have a feeling Zoe is going to be avoiding sleep for a while. **

**Cheshirecat – I think we've all had those friends. Luckily I got hitched and I don't have to listen to it any more! **

**Seabiscuit – Indeed a heart breaker. -fans self- Thank you for curing my writers block -love hearts here-**

**DevineGuardianAngle – Thank you! 10 points for reviewing. Make it to 100 and I'll throw in a lemony scene or smutty scene. And in answer to your question. Time will have to tell XD**

**Thank you to all those who review, favourited and added to alerts. YAY! Lots of love to you all xxx**

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Jealously isn't flattering.**

Zoe breathed in heavily. She didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but she couldn't bear keeping it to herself. She clung to Jack. She didn't want to let go of him. He didn't push her away or anything like that. He just sort of sagged. As if the air had been knocked out of him. She leant back a little to look at his face. He gave her a weak smile. 'Uh. Let's, go talk.' Jack said pulling on her hand. He felt hurt but by the looks of it Zoe was just as shaken up. He kept his confused feelings at bay, he would make sure that he heard everything that she had to say. He noticed that she had tied his hoodie around her hips, he smiled to himself at the sight. She had gotten changed, somehow she was more attractive now that she was covered from head to toe. Maybe because he knew her shape and firmness of her body that was hidden. She nodded and followed him to the room she had fallen asleep in. They sit on a sofa by the window.

'I'm really sorry, Jack,' she said quietly as she crossed her legs underneath her. Her wings shook out dislodging a feather or two. Jack copied her sitting position and faced her.

'What happened?' He asked ignoring her apology. She said sorry too much. He tilted his head at her. She breathed in again, not looking him in the eye.

'Well, um. I got changed, and because of what happened today, I was really tired. I um, wanted to wait for you to get back, but I just fell asleep on the sofa.' She said. She wouldn't look at him, but she paused in case he wanted to say anything. Clearly he wasn't going to speak so she continued, fiddling with a feather while she spoke. 'Well, I woke up. But not really woke up, I woke up in the dream and he was talking to me-'

'Pitch?' Jack clarified.

'Yeah, Pitch. He began talking to me, saying that he was upset and that I didn't understand. He was showing me things, like um, when we were in that field,' she blushed on cue. Jack couldn't help the smile that twitched his lips at the sight. 'He was getting angry and I was getting pissed off as well. I kept telling him to leave me alone. But he wouldn't listen. I don't think that he knew about me increasing my power. He laughed when I tried to regain control of the dream. Then I started to scream at him while I fought his grip. Then he asked me a question and I answered,' her blush deepened, Jack's curiosity was instantly piqued.

'What was the question?' He asked. Zoe's head shot up. 'Well, it must have been quite a question if what happened, y'know happened.' He said with a cheeky smile, Zoe sighed tilting her head at him. She poked him with the feather's end.

'Really Jack? This is hard enough. I'll give you details after,' she replied. Jack crossed his arms and raised a brow. 'Oh for fucks sake. Fine. I shouted at him, ''I don't want you,'' and then he asked the obvious reply to that, which was ''who do you want?'' I answered and he didn't like it. At all. For the first time I was actually scared of him.' She said stepping around the subject. Jack rolled his eyes. He would get the real answer from her. Jack placed a hand on her shaking fingers. She looked him in the eye and smiled gratefully. She inhaled and exhaled before continuing. 'Well, then he grabbed me and... kissed me.' She winced, 'He bit my lip, and I managed to break free, I slapped him. Hard. I think he lost the connection between us because the dream faded and I actually woke up. That's when you came through the portal, about ten minutes later. And here we are. That memory is going to haunt me forever,' she said bitterly.

Jack looked at her, her blush had disappeared and she had gone pale. Her lip did look a little swollen, only a mere slight. But when she mentioned that Pitch had bit her, he made the mental line. He raised his spare hand and touched her bottom lip, he ran his finger over her skin. He leant forward, using his other hand to cup her cheek, gently he increased the pressure on her lip causing the wound to show. A couple drops of blood appeared, he frowned. So the kiss was real. That he didn't like at all. He believed that Zoe had fought him, she had only told him the truth. He could feel her breath on his fingers, he looked into her eyes and smiled.

…

Tooth watched from a crack in the door. She scowled. The dislike she felt toward Zoe wasn't something she understood. She liked everyone, she tried to see the best in each person. But whenever she saw Zoe with Jack she felt a sour taste in her mouth. It had gotten worse and worse as well, Jack had never been very comfortable with physical contact. Yet, he seemed inclined to touch the dark haired woman voluntarily.

'Eavesdropping is considered rude, in almost all cultures, you know,' a sultry, thick voice said behind Tooth. She turned around with an embarrassed flutter of her wings, her feathers settled with a twitch, to find she was facing Zoe. But she looked ill, her facial features were too sharp, and she had no wings. Tooth frowned. Something wasn't quite right. This wasn't Zoe. The imposter walked forward towards her, she touched one of Tooth's tail feathers and walked around her, 'I am Nathara-' She began.

'What do you want? How did you get in here?' Tooth asked defensively moving away from the woman.

'Where do you think we are?' She laughed. Tooth didn't understand but only then did she notice that she wasn't where they thought they were. The imprint of North's home remained, but everything was covered in purple and green oily swirls. A dark void almost. Tooth flew around, everything was the same, except she couldn't open any doors or move anything. She felt her heart rate pick up. Nathara laughed again picking at her long nails. Tooth peered through the gap in the door, Jack and Zoe were frozen in their last position. Tooth couldn't help the sharp sting of jealously in her chest at the sight.

'How did you get here?' Tooth asked spinning to face this woman. 'You're not Zoe. Why do you wear her face?'

'Ah, well believe it or not, you summoned me here,' she smiled, Nathara walked over and ran a hand down Tooth's face. 'I am the object of your envy, your jealously-'

'I am not jealous!' Tooth replied with anger. Nathara pouted and tilted her head.

'Oh sweetie, I wouldn't be here otherwise,' she pinched Tooth's cheek, Tooth scowled and slapped her hand away. Nathara laughed again and paced around her. 'Okay then, let's say, your concern brought me here. Shall we?'

'You don't look exactly like her,' Tooth accused ignoring her last barb.

'Well, that's because I haven't touched her. Like this,' Nathara placed a finger on one of Tooth's feathers and her image changed like the rippling scales on a snake, she looked like Tooth within seconds. A perfect copy. Tooth gasped as her doppelgänger flew easily around the room. 'I only have to touch you once and I can take your form at any time. Now that I am here should we talk about this little problem of yours?'

'What problem?' Tooth muttered. 'Take off my appearance, I don't like what you're doing.'

Nathara sighed, 'spoilsport. Very well,' a couple of seconds later a blonde woman appeared, she had a stylish bob, the very typical looking bombshell. 'This is my preferred look, is that okay? Tooth scowled at her, she didn't want to play games. Nathara pulled a mirror out of a pocket in her jeans and checked her outlandish make up.

'Why are you here?' Tooth repeated.

'Oh sweetie this whole coy thing is very cute, but you know why I'm here. Being subtle probably didn't help with lover boy in there did it?' She said in a sickly condescending tone of voice. Tooth wanted to slap this woman. 'I've got to admit, I can see why you're jealous, he's very handsome isn't he? Oh yes, very nice,' she cooed looking through the door. 'Oh what's this, oh how sweet of a moment between them, shame that it's all going to end in tears.'

'What do you mean?' Tooth said flying forward and uncrossing her arms. Nathara looked at her with a shocked expression.

'What? You don't know? I thought that's why you summoned me here,' she muttered tapping her chin. 'Well it won't do any harm to tell you, I suppose.' Nathara watched out of the corner of her eye as Tooth's expression turned to deep concern. 'Zoe? Is that what you call her? Zoe, is lying, sweetie. This whole romance is a lie.' Tooth gasped and held her hand up to her mouth. 'It's true. I've been working with Pitch for years now. They thought of this plan in case his whole takeover bid failed.'

'Then why are you telling me this?' Tooth asked suspiciously.

'Because I don't like her.' Nathara said simply. 'The whole wing thing? That's a lie. Those are her actual wings. She's the Spirit of Death, what did you think her wings looked like? This whole thing is to split up the Guardians. She's tired and angry at you for ignoring her all these years. Jack's the weakest link in you all so she chose him. I want Pitch for myself. Don't give me that look. I don't care what you think. But I don't want her in the picture and neither do you.'

'Why should I believe anything you say?' Tooth demanded.

'I don't care whether you do or don't. But believe me, if you were to tell Jack? She would run, that would be all the evidence you needed yes?' Nathara shrugged. Tooth's face faltered, her eyes flicked from side to side as she thought.

'Wait... If you've worked for Pitch for as long as you say, and that Zoe is helping him, how come you don't have her exact copy?' Tooth asked. Nathara rolled her eyes and sighed.

'She would never let me near her. Imagine what I could do if I looked like the Spirit of Death. Oh, here. This should prove it to you,' Nathara took a small vial out of her pocket and handed it to Tooth. Inside a white and black smoke writhed. 'Recognise it?'

'Oh my,' Tooth snatched it out of Nathara's grip. 'That's, that's, what her wings were made out of,' she stared at the bottle. Nathara took it from her and slipped the vial back into her pocket. Tooth stuttered unable to think. The Spirit of Jealously let herself smirk. This was going beautifully.

…

Ow. That hurt. Jack pressed down on my bitten lip. I wince but I see that it has helped him understand. Somehow. I don't have a chance to think about anything as the door opens. Tooth flutters inside, she gives me a dirty look. Well I kinda expected that. I'm pretty sure she has a thing for Jack. Who as soon as the door opened dropped his hands and let me go. I sigh but shrug it off. He's shy around other people. I know this. Tooth is really giving me a filthy look, so without thinking I send one back. What a bitch. I know it's probably not nice to see the guy that you like with another girl but she could be a little more restrained about it.

'Jack? Can I have a word?' Tooth asked. Jack looked between me and her, he frowned at the expressions on our faces and nodded.

'Sure,' he said, getting up, he squeezed my fingers and followed her out the room, he turns to look at the wall for a moment, a slight wondering expression on his face. He looks back at me and then shuts the door. I hear them walk down the corridor. I sigh. No doubt whatever she has to say isn't going to be good. I roll my eyes trying to stop my brain from thinking bad thoughts. Jack has stood by me this far. I just have to trust him. I'm surprised to find that I do, utterly. About ten minutes pass before I hear the door open. Jack entered. I smile but he doesn't return it. Which is strange reaction. Jack always smiles at me. I feel my heart thump hard.

'Hey,' I say weakly, 'what's the matter?'

'You need to leave,' Jack said quietly. He looked a little off. His words were like a punch to the ribs.

'W-What?' I stutter.

'Leave Zoe,' he repeated.

'Why?' I ask. No fuck this. I want to know why the sudden change of heart. What the fuck did Tooth say to him? I fold my arms and scowl.

'Tooth, told me things. I know you're working for Pitch, I know this is all a lie!' Jack yelled at me.

'What?! You can't be serious,' I say, I get up and walk over to him, I go to put my hand on his and he pushes me away. I feel a ripple of energy pulse from him. I can't help the welling of sadness in my chest. He pushes me again. There's anger in his eyes.

'You lied to me. You lied!' He repeated.

'Jack, I haven't, I don't lie to y-'

'Get out Zoe. I don't want to see you,' he spits at me. I shake my head in disbelief. What the fuck did Tooth say? What the fuck? In some strange hope to try to change his mind I reach out to touch him again and this time he pushes me back hard enough to knock me back into the wall. I stare in horror at him. 'Touch me again and I'll hurt you,' he threatens with a dark look on his face. The pain in my heart screams at me. I've been a fucking fool. I stagger backwards and my fingers brush the window sill. Without taking my eyes from his scowl I open the window and throw myself out into the cold wind.

…

'It's the truth!' Tooth exclaimed. Jack frowned at her.

'So you're saying that a woman appeared from nowhere, told you that she was working with Pitch. That Zoe and him made all of this up, just to break up the Guardians? That's a little far fetched Tooth,' he shook his head. 'She can also take the appearance of anyone who touches her? But she didn't look like Zoe, because even though she's been around her for years, she's never been able to touch her.'

'It does sound a little strange when you say it like that,' Tooth admitted. 'She was very odd. But she had some of her wings in a bottle. She just sounded so convincing, I mean..'

'Wait, did you say when she touched someone?' Jack asked. Tooth frowned and nodded. Jack paled, when he left the room he felt someone touch his shoulder before he shut the door. 'Oh no.' He said quietly. 'Zoe...' He looked at Tooth and the light dawned in her eyes.

'Oh Jack! Do you think-'

Jack didn't wait to hear the rest of her thought and turned around and began running. He threw open the door to the room. Tooth flew in behind him. The large window was open, he stared and reached for his staff when he saw an exact replica of himself facing the door. Zoe was nowhere to be seen. 'Where is she?!' He demanded. 'What did you do?!' His doppelgänger laughed, it was weird hearing his own voice out of someone else's mouth. Then the fake Jack crossed the room and took the real Jack by his shoulders. The copy leant forward, shifting into a different form as she spoke.

'What did I do?' She said as Jack, then she shifted, 'more like what did you do?' The voice was Pitch's. Jack's mind flash backed to that moment where he heard the exact words.

'No!' He shouted pushing the Spirit back. Nathara shifted into her preferred form. Jack glared and held his staff up.

'Thank you Tooth, I couldn't have done this without you,' she winked and with a glass scratching cackle she vanished. Jack's bolt missed her by seconds and froze the far wall.

'NO!' He shouted running forward, he lunged out the window but he couldn't see anything but wind and snow. 'I have to find her. I have to explain.' Tooth grabbed his shoulder, he looked at her. She looked so guilty. He touched her hand with his. 'It's not your fault Tooth. No doubt anyone else would have believed her as well.' Tooth nodded but the guilty look didn't lessen.

'I'll have my fairies look out for her,' Tooth promised. Jack nodded. He picked up a hoodie that had fallen out the bag of clothing. It was almost black, he slipped it on, looking for a pair of jeans, his other trousers were now far too short. Once he was ready he would go looking for her. And hopefully explain everything.

**¬-¬ I hate Nathara. Lol. Please review otherwise you'll be receiving a video of a hostage situation. jk.**


	12. Chapter 12

**9 reviews on the last chapter (one because someone couldn't contain their excitement!) Thank you so much. As usual I will reply to them XD my very own point of view in reply -sends cookies-**

**oOShinahiOo – Thanks, I didn't think I wrote Nathara that well. Clearly I was mistaken. Zoe knows of Nathara, but she hasn't worked with her at all. That was Nathara being a sly little bitch, saying that to Tooth. **

**Soaringphoenix86 – I was going to write it so that you wouldn't find out it was Nathara until this chapter, but I thought that would be too cruel. No, a break cannot be caught, but when it she does get one it will be fantastic. Promise. I know your pain, I winced at the thought of Zoe's girls being subject to that temperature as well. That part really made me laugh, thank you. Always bring popcorn. I'm just that good. XD**

**Cheshirecat – I honestly don't know what's going to happen to them, I'm just as much in the dark as you are. **

**Seabiscuit – I'll give Tooth hugs. Don't worry. Glad I'm making that heart feel something lol.**

**DevineGuardianAngle – I'm glad I'm not that predictable. Means I'm doing something right!**

**Chocykitty**** – Thank you so much. It's lovely to hear. Your opinion will never mean less. Trust me. **

**Dancingcartoon**** – My pleasure. Thank you for the review. It was much appreciated.**

**Fleeing Dawn**** – Added you just in time! Thank you, I was pretty sure that a death/frost fanfic, hadn't been done. As far as I know, I'm still the only one. Zoe does go well with both of them I must say. Also, as for Nathara, well, you'll have to read on and see. ''Spoilers!''**

**blackvelvet97**** – Zoe's love life will be saved don't worry. This is a romance. Mostly. I promise that this will have a happy ending. Promise!**

**Thank you to all those who review, favourited and added to alerts. YAY! Lots of love to you all xxx**

**Chapter 12 – Satisfaction.**

I'm a fool. A fucking fool. I knew that since the beginning that Jack would take the Guardian's side no matter what. I was just stupid to think that he would actually stand by me. Why the hell would I think that? I shake my head, refusing to let my tears fall. No. No more tears. If in doubt be angry. The wind stings as I fly, there's a blizzard happening and I'm right in the middle of it. How clever of me. I can't fly in this. I dive down. It's fucking freezing but at this moment my anger is keeping me warm. I land in thick snow and stumble forward. It's up to my knees, but I don't care. I walk and trip through the drift. My teeth begin to chatter and my skin is deathly white. Almost blue, in a certain light. It saps at my strength. I may have been born in worse weather than this, but it also killed me. I fall, feeling the cold powder swamp over me. I cough the chilly air from my lungs as I sit up onto my knees. I wrap my wings around myself, hoping that it blocks some of the wind. As I sit, I realise that in a couple of minutes I won't have the strength to move. I look to the sky, all I can see is white, and it's beautiful. All the calamity in my mind fades as I'm drawn in by the whirling snow storm. It's peaceful and easy to understand, this I can deal with. Time passes as I stare.

…

Pitch smiled to himself. This was going wonderfully, he had to adjust some plans, but it was turning out better than he expected. Nathara appeared moments later, she skipped over to him, her form shifting. 'Look who I brought home,' she cooed. Pitch raised a brow, but watched as the Tooth Fairy, Jack Frost and finally, Zoe, appeared in front of him. He clapped his hands.

'Delightful Nathara,' he praised. Nathara almost bounced for joy. She kept Zoe's appearance, knowing that Pitch would be happier if she looked like her. Pitch smiled and walked around her a smile on his features. She took the vial from her pocket and handed it to him. He clenched it for a moment before letting it disappear in a swirl of power. 'At first I thought you were a hindrance, but now you've become quite useful.' She laughed brightly. Pitch turned his attention away from her and cast a spiral of sand on the table. It shifted and formed an oval. Pitch placed a finger in the middle, watching as it began to melt and become glass-like. Once he saw his reflection he waved his hand over the image, it turned white. Nathara tilted her head, it was showing a blizzard. Then to her disgust she saw Zoe lying in the snow. 'Absolutely delightful,' Pitch repeated. He waved Nathara over to his side. She bounded over instantly, he turned her so that her back faced him. Black sand erupted from the floor and rooted itself on her shoulders. She winced but the sand didn't burrow under her skin, it simply hung there. Within a couple of seconds she had a perfect replica of Zoe's wings. She flapped them once or twice for the hell of it. Pitch smiled, 'Nathara, it's time for step three. Go to him, bring him here. Then I will inflict pain upon him that he never even knew was possible.'

…

It was no good. He couldn't see or hear anything. He even tried to control the blizzard a little, but it made no difference. He could see Tooth a few metres from him. 'It's no good!' He shouted through the wind. 'Tooth!' He flew over to her, the Tooth fairy was shaking with the cold but she refused to stop looking. Jack took her by the shoulders and made her look at him. 'Tooth! It's no good,' he repeated. 'Go home, you'll freeze!' He warned, 'do not send your fairies out in this, I'll find her,' he said reassuringly. Tooth looked at him as if to argue but she nodded. Jack hugged her tightly and watched as she darted off through the storm. He spent the next hour or so looking desperately for any sign of her. But there was nothing. He cursed and flew to the edge of the blizzard, it was lighter and he could see much further. Eventually he landed on an outcrop of snow that overlooked a white plain. He thought for a moment he saw black wings. He shook his head and stared again. No, he was right. On the plain there was a woman with black wings. He knew only one spirit with feathered wings. A smile broke across his face and he leapt to her. The wind carried him easily. She was curled up in the snow, her wings wrapped around her in protection. He could see her shivering. He touched one of her feathers causing her to jump. She slowly moved a wing to see him. 'Oh Angel, I thought you had gone,' Jack breathed in relief. He knelt to her level, getting a shock when she threw herself at him. He expected pain, but there was none, she simply hugged him. He held her tightly feeling his heart swell. 'Angel, I am so sorry, there was this woman who wore my appearance. I don't know what she said but whatever it was, it's not true,' he babbled. Zoe simply held him tighter. He could feel that her skin was like ice and was almost as pale as the snow. 'Tooth was telling me that all these things but I knew they weren't true.' He reassured. Time passed and they simply embraced. Jack couldn't describe the sweet relief he felt at this moment.

'Jack?' She said suddenly. 'About what Tooth said...'

'Yes Angel?' He replied. She leant back and looked him in the eyes, her own green piercing his blue. She began to smile, he grinned back, then she blinked slowly and when she opened her eyes next silver light poured forth. Jack felt excruciating pain ricochet from her fingers as she dug her nails into his skin. He stared at her in horror. She leant forward and whispered in his ear.

'It's all true.'

The last thing he heard was her laughter as he blacked out. But the thundering of his own heart drowned her out. For a moment he wished that he could die, the thought of her actually lying and being with Pitch hurt more than any physical torture.

…

'Darling?'

'Darling, come on, wake up,' a soothing voice said gently. Zoe coughed the cold from her lungs. She felt her feathers being moved from her face. It was Pitch, she was too tired to fight, too heartbroken. So when he lifted her up she didn't fight back. What was the point? Jack didn't care about her and Pitch did. At this moment in time, she wanted to be cared for. 'Oh darling. I tried to tell you, I really did try,' Pitch sighed. She ignored him, felt the shadows smother them and the soft transition into a warmer place. He placed her on a table, his touch was gentle and his voice held none of the anger that she had heard previously. Her body shook violently as she warmed up. Pitch returned with a blanket and draped it over her shoulders. She looked around, they were underground, with high ceilings. It was lit by darkness, causing deep purple shadows to be cast around the room.

'Why?!' She said through chattering teeth. 'Why do this?'

'Hmm?' Pitch looked over his shoulder, 'why? Oh darling. I do keep saying.'

'Y-you took my w-wings,' she stuttered. 'You destroyed them, my family, and you took them from me,' she whispered. Pitch gave her a small smile and crossed the room putting his arm around her. She flinched at his touch but there wasn't much else she could do. 'I've lost everything, my family, home...'

'Yes, it was a shame about your home, but it had to be done.' He nodded sitting next to her. Zoe looked over at him in confusion, something about the way he said it. He smiled at her. 'You don't think that was just coincidence do you darling? Oh,' he laughed. 'No! Why do you think that I sent my nightmares after you? To delay you long enough that you couldn't control the earthing,' he chuckled hugging her tighter. She could only gape at him. 'Apart from Frost, everything that's happened has been part of my plan,' he explained. 'Even that little girl, was it? Aliie? Alice?-'

'Alison!' She snapped.

'Oh, Alison, even Alison, the poor little thing. That man driven to the very edge of his fear, that she was sent to taunt him, just like his mother did. It was the red hair you see, his mother had red hair and she did love to bring him down. All those sour little thoughts when he saw a red headed woman or girl. I simply gave him a push in the right direction,' Pitch sighed.

'You're a fucking monster,' Zoe spat. Pitch nodded. 'I will-'

'Do nothing.' Pitch finished for her. That's when she realised that she couldn't move. Her wings had solidified. No longer feathers, they had glassed over and fused with the table. She was trapped by her own wings. Any struggling that she did made the skin on her shoulders scream out and she could feel it tearing. Pitch smiled at her. 'You will stay here darling, I will take over. The Guardians will die. And then, there will be nothing but, Pitch Black.'

**I know it's short. I know that it's been a while RL has got in the way ¬_¬ Well, there's probably only a few chapters left to this story. I believe that chapter 15 will be the last one. If you liked, please review. I would love as many reviews as I had for the last one. You're all so awesome. So tell me what you think. xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay people. I decided to doodle to the best of my ability. XD which seeing as I'm using a touchpad on a laptop, it isn't brilliant. I drew Zoe. (don't laugh) If you wish to see her, go to Deviantart and type: Ribbons: Frost OC: Zoe. Then it will appear. Please drop a note if you like her XD**

**oOShinahiOo – Haven't planned for his daughter to make an appearance, but you know what my fingers are like. They have a life of their own and will probably find a way.**

**Soaringphoenix86 – A lot is going through Zoe's mind and I don't blame her. I really want to write a cat fight. Honestly have no idea what's going to happen to Jack. My fingers make it up as I go along. **

**Seabiscuit – Rant away Sea biscuit. I really don't like Nathara either, although I do because I made her lol. I'll make sure that she gets her just desserts. Bit worried about your heart 'Blending' XD Don't mind me, I know you'll give me a vicious beating if I don't write this properly.**

**DevineGuardianAngle – Thanks I'll never get tired of hearing that this was a good idea XD I'm sorry about the Cliff hanger. I don't have a lot of time to write. So I sorta chopped the ending off lol. **

**Chocykitty**** – Guess what? You're Awesome! YAY!**

**Nellie**** – Hopefully I won't keep you waiting too long. Thanks! -sends cookies-**

**Guest**** – I'll miss writing it, and reading the lovely reviews you leave for me. Thank you!**

**Thank you to all those who review, favourited and added to alerts. YAY! Lots of love to you all xxx**

**Chapter 13 – An unlucky number for a reason.**

'Jack?'

'JACK!?'

A young girl's voice echoed through the chamber. Jack stirred and groaned. His shoulders burned with an intense heat, his hand automatically scrambled for his staff, but he couldn't find it. His eyes snapped open, there was nothing but darkness, then a couple of seconds later, memories flooded his mind and he cried out with the force. He sat up shaking his head only to slip on the cold, smooth stone beneath him. The girl's voice repeated his name over and over. He recognised his sister's desperate calling. He tried to look around and only saw shadows. He raised a hand to his shoulder and felt the warm dampness of blood. Zoe. He felt his heart clench. She said that everything Tooth said had been the truth. Could it be? As soon as the doubt in his mind grew his sister's voice grew louder and more upset. He twisted around looking for the source.

'Jack? Where are you?' She called. Jack pressed his palm to his forehead. It's all Pitch. This isn't real. He told himself anxiously. But his sister wouldn't stop calling for him. Then another voice joined in.

'Where is he?' An older woman said. His breath caught in his throat. When his sister next spoke she was in tears.

'He fell into the lake!' She sobbed.

'This isn't real, this isn't real...' Jack repeated. The older woman cried out in deep pain and her cries joined his sisters'. His eyes welled as their deep sadness echoed around him in the dark. Just when he thought it was over the cycle repeated again. This time he felt as if they were standing next to him. He felt his mother's breath on his cheeks, imagined his younger sister's fingertips brushing his as she lunged forward to grab him. He buried his head on his knees and tried to drown out their voices. He lost count of how many hours he spent in there. Every time he got up and tried to search his cell, no matter where he ran he never found any walls. Shadows of his family pulled at his clothing when he spun around to change directions. He screamed at Pitch to let him out. Screamed at the shadows to leave him alone, every time he stopped moving or fell to his knees. The darkness enveloped him, bringing the scent of several flowers including, Hibiscus, Larkspur and Gladiolus, all of them conjuring a picture of a woman with wings.

…

Zoe stared in horror as she watched her mirror image walk into the chamber. She held in her arms, Jack. He was unconscious and unmoving. Blood was spread over his shoulders and she could feel a low growl deep in her chest. Pitch was standing in front of her but quickly crossed over to her doppelgänger. With a flick of his wrist the cursed sand appeared from nowhere swirling and writhing. The fake Zoe let Jack go and the sand swarmed underneath his body creating a table. It flooded over his hands and feet trapping him. But still he didn't stir. Zoe's arms were trapped where a few of her feathers had been draped over at the time that they shifted into glass, so were her legs. She could do nothing but watch. And speak.

'What have you done to him? Who the fuck is she?!' Zoe screamed. She was still furious at Jack for the things that he said, but there was a little niggling thought at the back of her mind, that she was scared to believe. Pitch laughed and touched Jack's forehead. He instantly began to struggle but his eyes remained shut. 'Jack? Jack?!' Zoe shouted at him, trying to rouse him. Her double laughed in Zoe's own voice, she even had her wings. She skipped over the floor and gripped her chin in finger and thumb.

'He can't hear you Reaper,' she said with joy. 'Do you want to know the best part of this?' Nathara said walking around the table, she draped her arms over Zoe's glass wings and rested her chin on Zoe's shoulder. When she next spoke it was in a whisper. 'He believes that you did this to him.' Zoe felt her heart stop, she screamed at Nathara and tried to move, it was useless she was completely stuck and every attempt tore at her shoulders. Pitch laughed and pulled Nathara from her. He knelt into her eye line.

'Cher-'

'Do not call me that!' Zoe screamed, her powered voice echoing. 'Who the hell is she?' She tilted her head to the impersonator. She was more angry than she could ever remember feeling. Her hands itched to feel her scythe, the smooth handle and reassuring bladed weight at the end. She ground her teeth. Nathara laughed an unnaturally high pitched chortle.

'I am what you should be,' Nathara spat. She rested her hands on Pitch's shoulders, who shrugged her off and gave her a filthy look. Nathara looked like she swallowed acid but backed away. She walked back over to Jack and began to whisper in his ear, Zoe couldn't tell what she was saying but the way that Jack's eyes swivelled under his lids and the way he twitched didn't seem good. Pitch snapped his fingers in front of Zoe's face to bring her attention back to him.

'Why are you doing this?' Zoe spat.

'I'm not doing this. You are. It was your choice to turn against me. Your choice to bring Frost into this. All of this is your fault,' he snapped back angrily.

'I've done nothing wrong! I kept the b-'

'Kept the balance,' he interrupted irritably. 'Yes I know. But what about us?! You didn't even think for a moment. What about me?! You left me to die! To be tortured, never to be believed in! You'll never know that! But I will break you, I will make you wish that you had stood by me when I asked.' Pitch got up turning his back on her and moving Nathara out the way. He touched Jack again and shadows spread from the table covering the room and plunging them into darkness. Zoe automatically began to struggle whimpering as she opened old wounds. A faded, ghostlike version of Jack appeared in the darkness barely a foot from her. Pitch walked out the shadows and walked around the apparition. Ghost Jack shouted something that they couldn't hear, he spun on his foot following Pitch around, but clearly not able to see him. Pitch smiled looking at Zoe and touched Jack's shoulder. He began to speak and Ghost Jack could hear him.

'What's the matter Frost? Are you all alone? Your mother and sister not keeping you company?' He laughed. Within seconds a tidal wave of sound washed over the room, Zoe could hear crying and weeping. Her own eyes filled with tears as she saw Ghost Jack cover his ears and fall to his knees, she could see his mouth moving, but she couldn't hear him. Pitch knelt next to him, his eyes never leaving Zoe's. 'Should I tell you about how I managed to convince your ''Angel'' that you had betrayed her?' He said slowly. 'How long we've been planning this whole ''Romance''? Does it hurt Jack? Does it pierce your heart to know that she never cared?' Nathara smirked and gave a little giggle. Ghost Jack's head whipped up and he looked around for the voice he could only hear. Zoe looked straight at Nathara, who relished the attention. Her image rippled and shifted.

'No!' Zoe screamed as she saw that Nathara had become Jack. Her mind roiled. Nathara moved around the table. There were now three Jacks in the room.

'Tooth, told me things. I know you're working for Pitch, I know this is all a lie,' Nathara repeated. Zoe's jaw dropped. It was all a trick. Her anger bubbled under her skin, it was almost to the point of being painful. Nathara walked over and smiled, 'he will feel like he has been there for days. A minute that passes for us, is a whole day to him. Watch, watch as his face falls and he breaks,' she laughed pointing at Ghost Jack. Zoe looked past him and her gaze settled on the real Jack who was thrashing on the table, tears falling from his closed eyes. When she spoke her voice was deadly quiet.

'When I break free, I'll kill you first,' she promised, Nathara's eyes widened a little in fear but she covered it up by shifting into her own form and laughing at her.

'You can't,' she mocked. Zoe smiled in a creepy way. She could feel her power shifting, as she became more angry the more her walls crumbled, the more power she let out. 'You have to keep the balance.' She laughed again. Zoe blinked slowly, her eyes were getting brighter. Nathara stumbled back.

'Who's to say that it's not the balance?' Zoe said slowly, her metallic voice edged with promise. Pitch left Ghost Jack and laughed loudly. He clapped his hands in a slow patronizing way. Nathara whimpered and moved away faster. Pitch almost danced forward and grabbed Zoe's face.

'Oh darling, there you are, but don't get any ideas,' he whispered. A bolt of pain shot through her shoulders from her wings, she felt the glass become molten and sink into her skin. She screamed in agony as she felt the muscles burn as it dripped deeper into her shoulders. 'Why I still control you. And you aren't going anywhere.'

…

Jack closed his eyes. Time had ceased to exist for him, he was tired, hungry and he felt like death. His mother and sister continued to haunt him. To the extent where he could now see them. Then Pitch had spoken out of nowhere. Taunted him. Again he was told that Zoe had planned this. He just couldn't get his mind around it. It didn't make sense. But as the time went on and there seemed to be no rescue he began to believe it. The nightmare got worse. He forgot that he was asleep, or contained as it were. The world around him shifted and he found himself back in his home town. He forgot that he was ever incarcerated. But when he saw Jamie. He ran over to say hello. Jamie looked at him blankly and without saying anything walked straight through him. Jack felt his chest pang. Jamie didn't believe in him. He spent the rest of the day following the child, shouting, screaming. Anything to get his attention. But nothing. Jack threw his crook into a tree and stormed over to pick it up. He had been wandering aimlessly through the town and now he was at the pond. It rippled in the wind, he looked down at the surface and frowned when he saw his relection. He was older... why...

'Oh Jack. You actually forgot.' Pitch laughed behind him. Jack spun around and let loose a bolt. It didn't even touch him. Pitch laughed again. 'Jack, Jack, Jack,' he repeated.

'What did you do? Why can't they see me?' Jack demanded.

'I can't believe it worked this well, you must be really heart broken, oh Frost. They can't see you because you're not real,' he chuckled. Jack dropped his staff.

'What?'

'Where do you think you are?' Pitch asked waving a hand around them, Jack tripped over his discarded staff and fell backwards, he looked to his weapon, it had turned into a pile of black sand. He watched as the trees around them crumbled. The lake's water vanished and dried up. The landscape fell in on itself and after a few seconds nothing remained but the dark and Pitch.

'No! No!' Jack repeated. He screamed at Pitch and lunged forward falling through the apparition. For a time he had blissfully forgotten what had happened but it all came rushing back. The pain, tiredness and agony in his heart. He fell and roughly hit the floor, he cradled his head, curled on the floor. Pitch's laughter haunted his ears as he felt his body shudder with sobs.

...

Zoe could do nothing but stare as she watched Ghost Jack, she had tried shouting, pleading for him to hear her but nothing worked. Nathara simply watched as Zoe struggled pitifully. Zoe thought desperately. She needed to get free. But every time she moved the glass sank deeper, nearer to her spine. Her eyes darted from side to side as her breath began to quicken. There was one wall left, it was the strongest that she had ever put up. It was the first and it was the one that held back most of her power. There was no way she could just break it. She needed something to tip her over the edge. Pitch's comment about Alison had been a good start. But this wall was deep and it would take a lot more than him taunting. But as she stared at the way Ghost Jack laid on the floor, his body shaking, she felt it chip away. She was scared. She put up these walls for a reason. But, they were breaking. She would be free. Soon.

**Remember, I decided to doodle to the best of my ability. XD which seeing as I'm using a touchpad on a laptop, it isn't brilliant. I drew Zoe. (don't laugh) If you wish to see her, go to Deviantart and type: Ribbons: Frost OC: Zoe. Please review people. Very very close to the end. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Soaringphoenix86 – I'll add my guitar and help you. I hope this chapter lives up to your standard. I will be anxiously waiting for your review. thanks for commenting on my pic!**

**Seabiscuit – I am evil. Thank you for all your help. I wouldn't have been able to finish this chapter without you.**

**DevineGuardianAngle – I do feel a little sorry for Nathara. But then again, she's a bitch so the pity is pretty thin. Thanks for commenting on my pic!**

**Chocykitty**** – Thank you! Glad you think so!**

**Cheshirecat**** – Thanks for looking! It's not great but I'm glad that you can see past my dodgy art lol. I know I will miss writing this.**

**Fleeing Dawn**** – Can't promise anything! But yeah I feel the same about Nathara. But you're really not gonna like her in this chapter. Sorry! -dodges hate mail-**

**Thank you to all those who review, favourited and added to alerts. YAY! Lots of love to you all xxx**

**Chapter 14 – Balance**

'Wakey, wakey love,' Zoe said softly. She stroked his long fringe from his eyes. He awoke with a jolt, his skin was covered with a sheen of sweat. He looked around, he was trapped on a table, thick sand fastening him to the surface. Zoe was leaning over him with a smile. 'Hello love,' she whispered. Jack twitched from her touch and tried to move his arms and legs. Zoe smiled with an edge. 'What's the matter? Don't you want to be near me? I can send you back if you wa-'

'No!' Jack blurted hoarsely. He didn't want to go back there. His face felt all tight and puffy where he had been crying. Mentally he was exhausted but his body felt merely a little worn. The skin around his wrists and ankles had been rubbed raw by the sand grains as he struggled in his trapped dream. Zoe smiled and leaned closer placing a kiss on his cheek, she then laid her head on his chest and made circles on his top with a nail. She was lying beside him, her large wings draping off the table.

'Oh Jack, you didn't look like you were enjoying your dream,' she sighed. 'He tried so hard on it as well. I tried to find out more about you so it would be perfect. Was it perfect? Please tell me,' she said with excitement looking into his eyes. Jack saw nothing but madness, it was hard to believe that he had never seen this side of her. 'I think it was, I think that's why you stayed there as long as you did. You didn't want to play with me,' she complained her nail digging into his skin a little. Jack winced but he couldn't move. He could smell her perfume from her hair. It was just like he remembered. The only thing different about her was the way she acted and spoke. 'It was so easy,' she murmured, moving so that she was resting her chin on his collar bone. 'Jack, it was so easy. For a moment I even thought I loved you, but then I realised,' she laughed rolling onto her back next to him. She propped herself up on her elbow. 'You're being awfully quiet Jack,' she said poking him. 'You're always so chatty, why so silent?'

'Was it all a lie?' Jack asked looking at the ceiling, or where one would be if he could see anything but black sand. His voice was already hoarse but it broke more as he spoke. Zoe laughed and sat up. He felt numb. Emotionless. Zoe stared at him for a few minutes then clapped her hands once. She straddled him, her wings opening a little to keep her balance.

'Oh god! You did, you actually fell in love! Oh Jack!' She hugged him tightly. 'Oh Jack, this is just wonderful. He'll be so happy!' She cooed stroking his hair again. Jack inhaled her scent unwillingly and it caused such a sharp pain in his chest that a tear fell from his eyes as she cradled him. He sobbed unable to hold it in. Zoe rocked him gently.

'Why?' He wept, he wanted to grab her, hold her closer. 'Why Angel?' He could hear her heart beating in her chest, he wanted nothing more than to just wrap his arms around her. Tears fell from his eyes with no sign of stopping. Zoe kissed his head and continued to wind her fingers through his hair.

'Oh love,' she said soothingly. 'I did it for him. Silly boy. I knew that this, this was the greatest gift I could give him,' she leant back, tilting Jack's face to hers. 'It's just beautiful.' Jack looked at her beaming smile, his own lips quivering. She wiped his tears from his face. Then she moved over to the straps on his hands and as she touched them, they crumbled into a fine powder. Jack blinked in shock. Was she letting his go? Zoe traced the line of his jaw, he couldn't help the shudder in his heartbeat. She leant forward capturing his lips in hers. Jack forgot himself as he lost his being in her kiss. She pulled him closer her fingers lost in his hair, he wrapped his arms around her almost crushing her mouth against his, the pain in his soul awashed with the need to know whether it was all just a lie. He could taste the salt of his tears as they mixed in with his desperate want.

…

I screamed, and screamed. I can taste blood in my throat, I've screamed that much. I watched as that bitch wore my form and whispered lies into Jack's ear. Pitch, that smug bastard stood next to me and looked incredibly satisfied as Jack broke down. My heart feels like it's being used as a fucking dog toy between Cerberus' heads. Pitch walks around _her _and Jack, neither of them can hear us or see us. But it won't stop me from shouting and screaming. Then, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse that bitch, that skanky harlot kisses him! I move with such force that one of my glass wings crack and I can feel the convulsing pain ricochet down my spine. I cry out this time in agony, Pitch spins around to see me.

'Oh darling, stop. You don't want to hurt yourself now do you?'

'I will make you regret the day that you met me,' I say venomously, my voice breaking as another spire of pain appears. A look of anger crosses his face, I spit blood onto the floor. I'm not doing well. But the rage is good, it's keeping me sane. I can see her kissing Jack and although I just want to cry, I clutch to the rage that boils inside and it stirs in reply. I can feel my wall weakening. I'm so close...

…

Nathara laughs as Jack kisses her. This was too easy. Such a simple minded lad. Pitch was going to love this. She broke from his grasp and smiled. The poor lad looked so hurt and confused. She pushed him back to the table and the sand reformed over his wrists. 'So sweet love,' she purred leaning close to him. 'Oh that was wonderful. The taste of anguish and desperation, simply wonderful. Tell me Jack, can you sing?' He frowned at her words, but they soon made sense as she ran a nail across his collarbone. The pain was so sharp it was sweet. He gasped and his body bucked under her touch. Her nail was like a razor, she glided it over his skin, it tore through his clothing with only a whisper. Jack let out a strangled cry, no blood appeared for a few seconds, then it slowly bubbled up and sat in tiny crimson domes. Nathara inhaled deeply feeling her pleasure rise. She knew that Pitch was watching and it simply increased her endorphins. Not to mention that she could hear the Reaper screaming, her voice now so hoarse there was barely a sound. Jack stuttered, he seemed to be in pain, but she thought there would be more blood; she was slicing severely through his chest. She put it down to the fact that he was a spirit of winter and the natural coldness of his skin was affecting the blood flow. Jack coughed as she ran her nail from his chest.

Pitch couldn't help the smile on his face as he saw Jack squirm in pain. He had taken his eyes from Zoe and was walking around the scene. He smiled as Jack struggled in vain. He moved to where Zoe was almost vibrating with anger. 'Soon, so very soon,' he whispered near her ear.

'Go to hell,' Zoe hissed.

'You sound as if you are in pain darling,' he said with a raised brow. The look Zoe shot him almost made him step back. He cracked his neck and smiled. 'Oh darling. Soon this will be over.' He stroked her hair, Nathara couldn't help letting her eyes drift over to where they were. She felt the bitter tang of jealousy on her tongue. She dug her nail in deeper into Jack's shoulder, feeling better as he cried out. She noticed that Zoe winced the more pressure she applied. She giggled, as she ran her other hand under his jaw lovingly. Jack whimpered and moaned as she felt his blood swarm around her embedded nail. Pitch looked over when Jack made a sound. He laughed and beamed. 'Soon Jack Frost will be nothing but a memory, forgotten, dead, isn't it just perfect darling. It's all thanks to you.' Nathara frowned. Pitch was almost insistent that she didn't exist. Wasn't a part of this. Without her he wouldn't have gotten even half way here. She paused her a moment, laying her head on Jack's chest, feeling his blood smear across her cheek. She listened to what Pitch was saying. She was angry at him, she only wanted to make him happy. Would it kill him to return some affection. Anything.

'Then it will be simply you and I. Only you and I,' he said softly.

Zoe spat at him, blood trickled down the corner of her lip, her skin was paling fast. For some reason her clothing across her chest was staining red. Red dropped from her hanging fingertips. 'What about her?' She jolted her head at Nathara who was listening intently. 'You didn't say anything about her. I thought she mattered to you.'

Pitch laughed. 'You are mistaken. She means nothing to me. Merely a means to an end.' Nathara felt her eyes brim with tears. She felt the unmistakable stab of betrayal in her heart. Her gaze hardened. Merely a means to an end? If that's how he really thought, she spat mentally. She caught Jack's frightened gaze and smiled. It took only seconds to have his full attention. She was fed up of being used, for a moment she knew how Jack felt. Thinking that the Reaper had simply betrayed him. Well, enough was enough. Time to do it for herself. Pitch had returned his eyes to her and Zoe's had never left. She spread the wings and breathed out deeply. The sand that formed them began to fall covering the pair. Pitch's eyes widened in panic. Nathara leant close to Jack and ran a finger over his lips.

'Jack?' She whispered. Jack couldn't help but lock his gaze to hers. She smiled and let her form shift. 'I'm not your Angel,' she said softly. It was the final straw, the void around them vanished and Jack could see the real Zoe trapped on the table. A keening noise broke from his lips as the reality hit him. He tilted his head and screamed.

…

I felt my heart wrench from my chest. The very last wall... crumbled... I'm free...

…

Pitch shouted out in anger and threw a blast of sand that knocked Nathara from the table. She looked from the floor tears in her eyes. Jack struggled on the table still screaming. Zoe sighed in relief. It was the immense flood of power that consumed her. She closed her eyes, time almost slowed as she reopened them, silver light pouring forth. Lighting the chamber. As the light touched the black sand it paled and lost it's power. The table restraining Jack powdered under him. Pitch yelled out in pain as it touched him. Nathara scrabbled away from the wave. Jack rolled onto his side looking at Zoe. She stared at him, breathing heavily. Pitch had managed to protect himself from the light and moved forward. 'You are such a fool,' Zoe spat. Pitch stared in horror as she moved. The glass wings cracked, Jack could see that Zoe was crying, tears streamed from her eyes. She moved, the sunken glass tearing from her shoulders. She bit her lip, blood bursting from the slit caused by her teeth, as she forced her body to rip itself from her glittering prison. She cried out falling to the floor as she felt her shoulder muscles split and rupture. Her body twitched, her head bowed. Jack could see remnants of skin and tissue covering the long, vicious glass fixtures that had rooted the wings to her shoulders and spine. There was nothing to hear but the steady drip of blood as she stood. Her knees buckled but she lifted her head defiantly. She focused her eyes on Pitch and Nathara. The silver light had abated but still echoed in her green iris'. Nathara stuttered in fear and whimpered moving back.

'You,' she whispered. She waved her hand and the room blurred, Pitch stepped back, almost tripping on Nathara. Zoe concentrated, her power spread around them, wrapping them all in light. It grew brighter and brighter blinding them. When it died down they were no longer in Pitch's lair. They were outside. On the top of a cliff, covered in long grass. The sun was setting and cast gold and pink hues across the ocean. Jack laid in on the soft ground for a moment, before trying to get to his feet. Zoe shook her head, he found that he suddenly couldn't move. His staff was only a few feet away from him. If he could get to it, he could help. Pitch yelled out his scythe appearing in his hands. He lunged towards where Jack was frozen.

'No.' Zoe said quietly. She held out her hand, her own weapon appearing in white mist. The stones glittered in the handle. She swung it flicking her wrist smoothly and it's blade met Pitch's own with a nail biting screech. 'You will not touch him,' her metallic voice carried easily across the cliff. Pitch took a couple of steps back from her.

Nathara flew past him with a deathly intent in her eyes. She screamed as she tackled Zoe to the ground, the Reaper went down easily falling heavily to the ground. Nathara scratched at her eyes in a vain attempt to blind her. 'You ruined everything!' She screeched. Zoe writhed and lashed out with a few punches to her abdomen. Pitch took this moment to regain the upper hand and he strode toward Jack. Who found that now Zoe's concentration was broken, he could move. Pitch's blade struck the ground where he was laying, seconds after he rolled to the side. His chest burned and his mind was full of fog, but he felt his hand wrap around his staff and it grounded him. Zoe pulsed with power and she unleashed a blow throwing Nathara from her body. Zoe scrambled to her feet, her scythe reappearing in a moment, she ran toward the Spirit of Jealousy; ignoring the agony in her gaping shoulders. Nathara flipped upright and easily dodged the swinging weapon. Zoe held out her hand and using her powers thrust Nathara from the sky, throwing her into the ground. Earth and grass was uprooted at the force. Pitch advanced lunging at Jack who parried and tried to dodge the blows. Jack returned with a barrage of his own icy shots which knocked Pitch back a few feet. There was a sound of glass being broken. Pitch looked down at his jacket, his skin paling in fear. His body jerked as a mist erupted from his chest.

'No!' He wailed clutching at the smoke. Jack could only watch as it spiralled into the sky and descended with vengeance. It swept past the other spirits and earthed itself into the Reaper who screamed with the force. Pitch gaped as he saw Zoe's original wings begin to form. But this time they were different. They bound themselves with her wounded back, knitting the skin back together and sealing themselves to her body. She whimpered, Jack took a step toward her before finding his feet and running. Nathara had managed to crawl out the hole she had caused, she pulled at Pitch's sleeve trying to get his attention. But he was too focused on what was happening. Jack felt his breath come hard and heavy as he ran to her, the smoke was becoming thicker and thicker. Almost solidifying.

'Angel!' Jack shouted, his broken voice filling with concern. 'Zoe!'

'Jack,' she replied. Her wings moved from her body, they had taken a familiar shape. They were feathered and just as large as her cursed ones. But glittered a pure white instead of black. She smiled at him, her wings opening wide. He was only a few metres away when a shadow poured between them. Jack was knocked back from the blow that Pitch delivered as he materialised from the darkness. His staff was knocked from his hand. He swore as his wounded body hit the grass and slid. Zoe screeched in anger and leapt at Pitch who flew into the air. From a crouching start she threw herself into the sky after him snapping her wings open. Jack's sight began to blur as they flew higher and higher. He spotted his staff and scrambled over to it just as a heeled shoe stood on the other end.

'Oh love,' she laughed. It was Nathara. Jack scowled. It was this woman that made him believe that Zoe had betrayed him. She was worse than Pitch for that. He pulled the staff from under her foot. All he could hear was Zoe screaming obscenities at Pitch and the clashing of metal as they fought above him. The sudden movement caused Nathara to fall forward. Jack had never hit a woman, but he soon corrected that; as she fell he lashed out with his fist and boxed her in the face. Blood ruptured from her nose as she staggered back in tears. He whipped out with the end of his staff and caught her around the temple knocking her out instantly. Nathara dealt with Jack turned his attention to the sky. Zoe was grappling with Pitch.

'You can't kill me! Not without upsetting the balance!' Pitch taunted. 'It's just like you Daya!' Zoe stopped in mid-flight. Daya. That was her name. Pitch floated with a smug look on his face. 'I'm sorry I told you like that,' he said shaking his head. Zoe flapped her wings, her scythe hanging limp from her fingers. She closed her eyes and Pitch laughed. 'I knew it. You can't. You can't upset the balance.' Jack scowled and jumped into the air the wind catching him and tossing him upwards. Pitch walked on a path of black sand toward her, he tilted her head back to look at him. 'Oh Daya, I'm so disappointed. After all this you still can't abandon the Duty.'

…

I felt a smile pull at my lips as the smell of pine and cinnamon carried on the wind. I inhaled deeply feeling myself calm. I open my eyes and see Jack float behind Pitch. His eyes met mine and I feel utterly blissful. My hand lashes out and closes into a fist just before it connects with his cheekbone. I hear the snap and his cry of pain. But before he can recoil I grab him around the throat. Satisfaction rises in my chest as he scratches at my hand.

…

Jack saw Zoe punch Pitch in the face before holding him up by the throat. He winced but felt no remorse. He had heard what Pitch had said to her. Heard her real name, the way he used the Duty against her. Zoe smiled in an eerily way, her eyes turning a soft silver.

'Look at what you've unleashed,' she said laughing. 'Here Pitch, here I am. Just as powerful as I was all those thousands of years ago. Does it make you feel good? Knowing that you did indeed break me? All those walls I spent years building, torn down. You made one deadly mistake...' she spat squeezing her hand. He coughed and spluttered his hands weakly pawing at her arm.

'You thought that you knew me,' she whispered her voice carrying venom.

'D-Daya...' he coughed. Her gaze hardened, she pulled him close, he could feel her breath on his face, see the stains of blood that trickled from her nose and side of her mouth. Now he was closer he could see the pattern of blood on her top. It copied the pattern that Nathara cut into Frost. Realization hit him. She had been siphoning Jack's pain. She must have linked with him, shared her power at one point. She had been taking the brunt of the physical torture upon herself. Pitch felt his fear rise and his power dwindle. The sun finally set, casting deep blue shadows over them.

'My name is not Daya,' her eyes met Jack's. She smiled weakly and felt her heart skip. 'My name is, Zoe.' She increased her grip and the lack of oxygen caused Pitch to pass out. She dropped him. Not caring that they were hundreds of feet in the air. She watched as he plummeted to the cliff below. Only when she saw him hit the grass below did she breathe again. Jack went to move towards her but she leant forward and let the wind carry her down to the ruined cliff top. Jack felt the exhaustion creep over him and he too dropped to the ground. Zoe landed softly and walked over to where Nathara and Pitch had crumpled. She sighed at the sight and looked over to where Jack was walking toward her.

'Zoe,' he began.

'They really had us huh,' she said bitterly. 'They caused so much pain,' she muttered. The urge to send them on itched at her palms. It would be so easy to open the void and cast them through. Jack placed a hand on her shoulder. She felt the need to have revenge lessen, her palms began to calm. She smiled to herself and with a seconds thought her scythe appeared in her hand, the blade held high in the air. She swung it so that the hilt rested in her other hand. 'May I have your staff Jack?' She asked quietly. Jack handed it over without any hesitation. Zoe smiled again, she touched a light coloured stone and her scythe disappeared leaving the gem in her hand. She pressed the stone to the wood and it turned a milky blue. Frost spread from her hands along the length of it. Jack was impressed, it only did that when he touched it. Clearly there was still more than what met the eye when it came to Zoe.

'What are you going to do?' Jack asked softly. Her eyes flashed silver and she looked like she was struggling with the power fluctuation. He waited for her body to stop shaking, her knuckles had whitened where she was gripping his staff so tightly.

'There. I,' she began. After a moment or two, she breathed in deeply. The silver vanished leaving the normal green. 'There is the only the balance,' she said finally. His staff began to glow and she thumped the end on the ground causing the earth beneath them to split open. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Jack. He nodded and placed his hand on hers resting on the staff. She nodded and sent a bolt of frost toward Nathara and Pitch encasing them in a clear prison. She wept as she realised that her friend was truly, truly gone. A sob broke from her lips as her scythe appeared in her other hand. She raised Jack's staff again and this time slammed both their hilts into the grass. The glittering ice darkened with Zoe's power and sank into the spilt earth, Jack's frost covering the gaping earth in a layer of snow sealing the wound.

'They're gone,' Jack whispered. Zoe nodded and fell to her knees. Her tears were hot as they streamed down her cheeks. Jack felt his heart clenched as he sat down next to her, taking her scythe and his staff and prying them from her fingers. He felt tired and was in great pain, but it didn't matter. He looked at Zoe, his pulse thumping in his ears. She smiled brightly at him, he raised a hand and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

'It's done,' she murmured. Jack nodded and pressed his forehead against hers. Their hands found each other and entwined while they sat bathed in moonlight.

**Chapter 14 finished. Only one more left. The more reviews I get the longer I make it. Say 500 words for every review? Lol. I hope that you liked it! Please review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Read everything I write. I mean it, you'll understand as you get closer.**

**Chapter 15**

Well. What do I say. I mean really? I suppose in most stories this is where the princess finds her prince and they live happily ever after? Sorry to disappoint you, but that's not gonna happen. I mean, it might. In time. But I'm certainly no princess. Jack on the other hand could definitely pass for a prince. Git. This is probably the last time I'll ever write in here. You've travelled this far with me, thank you. It's not often that people pay attention. I'm not going to lie, it's been one hell of a ride huh? Remember the first time Jack appeared in my life? That's bitter sweet. Yet here I am, sitting on the grass, his hand gripping mine so much it hurts. But of all the pain we've been through, this time I relish it. I can feel his breath on my cheeks, I dare not open my eyes, just in case. I hold his hand resisting the urge to dig my fingers into his skin, I just can't seem to shake the feeling that we're going to be torn apart. Although I know that, it's all over. I know. Because, I did it. Pitch and his whore will be back, that prison will hold them, for a while. I wanted to send them on. Trust me, if I had my way, I would be spending a week or two in a small room with that bitch strapped to a chair. I wouldn't need anything but words. And maybe a needle. But enough of all that. I'm guessing you all want to know what happened next? Okay, well I've never been one to hide anything, so, here it is.

…

Jack felt a breeze around his shoulders. The wind was dropping, it was becoming quite cold. It didn't bother him, but he felt Zoe's fingertips become chilled. He could feel his body stiffening, they had to move. They both needed medical attention. He sighed and looked at Zoe, he could see the shadows that her lashes cast across her cheek, hiding her freckles. He gently moved his hand from hers and brushed the underline of her jaw, causing her to flinch with the unexpected contact. She finally opened her eyes and looked at him, tears welled, threatening to spill, but it was coupled with a smile. He didn't feel the need to speak, he shifted and after a moment or two was able to stand up. His other hand still gripping hers tightly. He held out empty hand for her to take, once he felt the weight of her hand in his, he gently pulled her up. She giggled, causing a smile to break across his face. The sight of the blood on her tank top made his smile dwindle. He could see the deep slash over her collarbone and shoulders. The pattern of red mimicked his own. He brushed the strap off her shoulder, staring at the blood dried design underneath, they danced over the curve of her breast. He felt a pang over anger toward her, just for a moment. She had marred her perfect skin, for him. She looked away from his face as he traced the markings lightly. He had wondered why, but he thought that he had gone past the boundary of pain and that his body had naturally numbed. Now he knew. He was about to speak when she pulled his hand from her skin and readjusted her top. He nodded, this wasn't the time. Instead he let his fingers run over her white feathers.

'Is it the same?' He asked quietly. The feathers twitched under his touch, a small smile touched her lips. She sighed and ran her own fingers through the soft wing.

'Yes,' she replied. 'This time they are determined not to be taken from me, which is why they have fused with my body,' she exhaled with amusement. 'In fact, I feel that it is better.'

'Zoe-'

'Jack,' she interrupted. 'We will talk. I promise. But I need to do something. Alone,' she added sadly. Jack felt his stomach drop. She refused to look at him. He pulled her closer to him, one hand around her waist under her wings, the other holding the back of her head, lost in her hair. He pressed his forehead against hers, her body melded against his perfectly. She sighed and continued speaking, 'I will be gone for a while.'

'I've only just got you back,' Jack replied, the longing evident in his voice. Zoe's lips brushed his in barely a whisper. Zoe wrapped her arms around his shoulders, closing any gap between them. It spoke a thousand words that Zoe couldn't express. She had never experienced anything like this before, it was pure peace. In the last twenty fours hours she had been lied to, tricked, tortured and physically torn herself from her own wings. Not to mention being attacked by her ex-best friend and his demon whore. Now, she was holding the one person she truly cared for, and she knew, for certain, that he cared for her. She didn't want to leave, but the influx of power that roiled in her body was becoming too much. She was trying to rebuild her walls, it wasn't working. She had too much rage, magnified by the gems in her scythe which she could feel barely centimetres from her. Jack breathed heavily, the warmth sending skitters across her skin and causing goosebumps along the back on her shoulders. Zoe couldn't help the way her body reacted as she somehow moved closer to him. Jack buried his head in her hair, she felt his chest shudder as he let go. She tried to avoid digging her fingers into the back of his shoulders but she couldn't help it. He hissed in pain, but he didn't care, he simply embraced her harder. 'I thought I lost you..' Jack's voice was thick and he sounded terrified. Zoe bit her sore lip as she felt his tears run down her bare shoulder. The salt stung her wounds, but it just confirmed that he really was here and it wasn't her mind playing tricks.

'I thought I lost you as well,' Zoe admitted, her own tears mingling with Jack's clothing. His hand pulled at her hair as he moved her head back to face him. She blinked through her tears and smiled. Jack chuckled, embarrassed that he was crying. He wiped his eyes with the side of his hand.

'I'm so pathetic,' he laughed. Zoe giggled shaking her head.

'No, you're not,' she hiccuped. Jack looked at her with laughter in his eyes. She had cried so much she had given herself hiccups. She giggled harder. 'Now this is, -hic- God, I can't even speak -hic-'

'Then don't,' Jack whispered, brushing her hair from her eyes. Zoe's eyes widened as she saw him dip his head, and capture her lips in his. He had tried to hold back but the smell of her perfume was intoxicating. He could feel his heartbeat increase, his whole body felt as if it was inflamed. The softness of her hair ran through his fingers. She moaned and breathed into his mouth. It only fuelled his passion for her, he growled nipping the sensitive skin near her lips. Zoe squeaked in shock, he chuckled and yanked her to him, covering her mouth with his in a hungry kiss. Zoe moaned, she could smell the cinnamon of his skin and she felt his fingers bite roughly into her waist and behind her head. She responded immediately, surprising herself. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips gentler than she could have imagined. It was almost suffocating, she felt her senses ripple as her skin felt every caress. He tasted tentatively with his tongue, and Zoe replied opening her mouth with a low gasp. She poured all the fear and need for him into the joining as their bodies entwined, Jack took most of her weight and regretted it almost instantly, the snow under them had begun to melt and so his bare feet slipped. Zoe let out a brief eep as they fell. Jack took the brunt of the fall, Zoe laid on his chest. She giggled, wincing at the pain in her upper body. Jack chuckled and brushed her hair behind her ear; as it had fallen forward again. The serious of Zoe's earlier words returning to haunt him. 'Do you really have to leave?' He whispered against her mouth. She nodded.

'Yes,' she breathed in deeply. She nodded again. 'I have to.' With those words she got up, sniffing and wiping her eyes. Jack's surprise kiss had cured her hiccups. Thankfully. She leant over and picked up her scythe. Jack closed his eyes for a moment before doing the same, yet he flicked his staff into his hands with his foot. Zoe couldn't help but smile at the antic. She spun her staff playfully her eyes flashing silver for a moment. She spread her wings open wide, the moonlight reflected off the pure white of her feathers. They flapped once or twice, Zoe gave them a look.

'I don't think I will ever get used to that,' Jack said playfully, trying to distract himself from the fact that she was leaving. Zoe laughed.

'They get restless, but, it's feels good to have them back.'

'I thought they would be like before,' Jack said leaning on his staff. A wing clipped him around the head. Zoe wore the look of complete innocence. He chuckled and brushed his hair back down. They beat the air a couple more times, Zoe's feet actually leaving the ground. She sighed and looked at Jack.

'I really have to go,' she whispered. Jack felt his face fall. She was rising, he grabbed her ankle. She raised a brow and looked around at him. He leapt easily onto the top of his staff and crouched on the crook. She leant down to him a wondering look on her face. He raised his hand and cupped her cheek, pulling her closer until they kissed. It was sweet and slow. Zoe felt her heartbeat pick up, pleasure earthing deep in her core. But the tidal wave of her power was peaking; she needed to discharge. Her wings caught a thermal allowing her to float for a moment.

'Angel, don't leave,' he asked, Zoe sighed her lips still against his. The use of the pet name made Zoe's heart soar. It also caused the wave of her power to crash. In desperation she used a technique that was unpractised at best. Meaning she had only used it twice.

'Goodbye, Jack,' she whispered, her teeth catching his bottom lip. He tried to pull to him but her body shimmered and she vanished. Jack was left holding the air. A white feather drifted toward the grass, it had been caught in his fingers when she left. He sighed still being able to feel the warmth of her skin on his hand. He was able to snatch it out the air and he held it in his fingertips, tapping the tip against his lips. He felt his heart clench. He was just going to have to wait for her. Something that concerned him, only for the fact that he already missed her. It was as if she was essential to his being. Maybe.. now she was.

1 month later.

He had managed to find his favourite style of hoodie in a larger size, to accommodate for his sudden growth spurt. His trousers on the other hand weren't so lucky; he had to settle for a pair of brown jeans, which in no time got pretty tattered around the shins. Since his time with Nathara and the Nightmare king, he couldn't stand his skin being bare. To the point that he actually wore shoes, Sandy had given him a pair of light blue converse, they were just as scruffy as his jeans within a few days. Bunny insisted that his fear was a form of shock, a coping mechanism almost. Jack didn't care. He had other things on his mind. It was one of the reasons that he hadn't bothered to cut his hair. It almost reached his shoulders, he ignored the daily threats that came from Tooth. Although he knew he would that one morning he would wake up with her hovering over him with a pair of scissors and an intent gleam in her eye. It wouldn't matter, it would only be a minor distraction. His injuries hadn't taken long to heal, more mental than physical, but it seemed the affects of Zoe's power still lasted. The only visible scars were the thin white lines that crossed over the top of his collarbone and trailed up the side of his throat. He could only imagine what hers looked like, he hadn't seen her since their time on the cliff. Before she literally vanished. The feather that had fallen from her wing he had kept, it currently sat in his hoodie pocket. He would take it out and twirl it in his fingers, he found that when he had bad nights, (which were most nights, he barely slept any more) simply having it in the palm of his hand would calm his mind enough, that he could simply lay there. It bothered him greatly that a month had passed and there was still no sign of Zoe. It was a deep ache in his chest and it gave no indication of getting less as time went on. When he wasn't busy with winter, he would fly around the world searching for traces of her. Having still retained the sight was helpful, there were always spectral hints that she had been around. But by the time he got to where he suspected she was, she had gone. She had become almost impossible to find. Not even Baby Tooth and her kind had seen or located her. He had debated going to Mother Nature, something told him to hold off on that idea for a while. He was living at North's for the time being. It was a place that Zoe knew how to get to and so he hoped in vain that she would appear. There were signs of her everywhere, massive influxes of natural disasters in completely abandoned areas. Jack went to every site, trying to understand what she was trying to do. They were getting worse and worse, the damage to the landscape more scarred each time. It was almost like she was doing the opposite of what she wanted to do. But there were never any causalities, that was certain. Jack was becoming more and more worried about her.

6 months later.

Jack had tried everything. Looked everywhere, but no-one, anywhere, had seen her. Most of them spoke of how they had spotted a woman with dark hair and white wings, but never anything substantial. So, he was going to go see someone that had been praying on his mind since this began. He was going to see Mother Nature. He had brow beaten Bunny into telling him how to get to her home. The Spirit of Hope wanted to help him, but was reluctant to get involved. All the Guardians had been helping him keep an eye out for her. They were getting concerned about how depressed Jack was getting with each passing day. It had been months and it had got to the point where Jack would search until he passed out. Sandy had to resort to using the sleep sand on him, otherwise he would go days without rest.

Down in the mountains in Asia, Jack stood in front of a Japanese ornamental pond. There was a rock formation which had a beautiful waterfall cascading into the lake below. Jack sighed and prayed that this would work, he picked up a smooth white pebble and skimmed it across the water to hit the rusted gong that was placed at the side of the fall. It sounded out with a deep bass ring and echoed across the isolated area. It was deep in a ravine between two of the mountains, but there was enough sun to provide a fresh layer of grass, and the wildlife roamed. Jack waited for a few moments. Then the lilies began to drift across the water and rested at the side of the water's edge. Jack raised a brow but Bunny had told him about this. He gingerly stepped onto a pad and then without warning a giant Venus fly trap erupted from underneath the water and swallowed him. It was like being in one of Bunny's tunnels except it was wet and slimy, the ride didn't last long and soon he was thrown across a glade. A high pitched squeal of laughter rang out. Jack rolled onto his back, and looked around the opening. 'Fuck,' he cursed wiping slime from eyes, Bunny hadn't told him about that. They would be having words when he got back. Flowers bloomed from everywhere, colours of all sorts, fragrances swamped him. The leaves parted and a handsome looking woman glided over the grass. She was a greatly curvaceous creature, with voluminous hair filled with petals and leaves. She looked at Jack with surprise.

'Jack Frost?' Her voice was deep and sultry. She was the visual embodiment of sexual want. Everything about her shouted that she was nature. Jack got to his feet stumbling, she giggled and walked over. She was dressed in some type of organic dress, made of what looked to be large petals. Jack couldn't help but stare at her attire. 'Sorry, this whole thing is to be expected,' she laughed again looking at his expression. Her body was wrapped in large leaves that bloomed from the grass, she emerged a few moments later clothed in a simple blue maxi dress. 'What is the Spirit of Fun, doing here?' She mused looking at him. 'Not that I mind, it's a nice surprise. Call me Natalie.'

'I need your help,' he stated, he had lost a few social graces in the last few months. She smiled and beckoned him to follow her. He did as she asked, he found that the goop from the plant had dried and was just flaking from him. He ran his hand through his hair, dislodging the clumps. Natalie looked back and smiled. The plants moved out of her way as they passed, this place was full of light and birdsong. Jack felt a little uncomfortable in the heat, but made no complaint.

'Why would you need my help?' She asked. She had lead them to another wide open area, it had a glittering pond in the middle and was filled with aquatic flowers. She laid on a large mushroom that grew for that very purpose. She waved her hand and another sprouted up behind him knocking from his feet. He clutched his staff ever wary.

'I'm looking for someone,' he replied quietly. Natalie gave him a look.

'Oh, I heard.' She shrugged. 'I don't know why you're bothering, she obviously doesn't want to be found.' She said chattily. Jack's expression froze. She smiled but he wasn't having any of it. 'Look, Jack, I haven't seen her, I honestly haven't been looking, apart from her moments. We had a disagreement in the past and I keep my nose away from her business.'

'You tried to kill her,' Jack said bluntly. Natalie didn't even try to deny it. She simply smiled more.

'Yes,' she laughed. 'Don't be so surprised. You know what she does.' Natalie scowled for a moment. Jack just listened, he knew a lot more than this Spirit did that's for sure. Natalie continued to speak as if she hadn't noticed the sour look on Jack's face. 'She damn near wiped out half an orchard. Although I am getting pissed about her little temper tantrums of late, she's only done deserts and mountainous regions so far, but it's only time. I swear if she even touches a blade of gr-'

'You can tell where she is, when she has these ''moments''?' Jack interrupted. 'Do you know what they are?'

'It's energy,' she said in a bored tone of voice. 'Just tremendous amounts of energy, in bursts, more each time. It's random and unplanned.'

_She's losing control,_ Jack thought. _That's why she hasn't come back. Why is she loosing control? It doesn't make sense._ Jack frowned and his hand subconsciously went into his pocket and toyed with the feather. Natalie watched him. _I don't get it, surely she trusts me enough to ask for help? _He sighed and looked at Natalie. 'Thank you Natalie,' he said politely. He wasn't happy about the situation, but at least he had more of an answer then he had in the last six months. He was about to make his excuses when a tremble through the earth almost knocked him from his feet. Natalie shot up, birds flew around her head.

'That bitch!' She screeched. Jack grabbed her. The flowers around them began to shift and move the more emotion that radiated from her.

'Where?!'

'I don't fucking believe it-'

'Natalie! Where?!' Jack shouted at her. He could feel his heart pounding. It was happening, right now. He could find her. Natalie was too busy getting angry and shouting curses about Zoe. Thankfully for Jack, a tunnel opened a few feet away. Bunny leapt from the hole.

'Jack, mate! We got a storm and it's not normal. Looks like Shelia's finally making an appearance!' Bunny waved him over. Natalie didn't look happy that Bunny had just appeared. She scowled and vines began to whip around. Jack paid her no more attention and leapt down the hole. Bunny quickly followed, closing it behind him.

'Dodged a bullet with that one!' Jack shouted at him as the wind rushed passed his ears, Bunny laughed as he ran beside him.

'Was that a joke?' He laughed. 'Strewth mate, it's been a while,' he added with a smile. Jack laughed balancing on his staff. 'We're going to get you as close as possible, Tooth and the others are already there, but seriously mate. Some thing's wrong with Sheila. All we can hear is screaming. The wind is too powerful for us, but she did some weird power thing to you, you might be able to get through. That and we'll be helping you,' Bunny explained as the tunnel twisted. Jack felt his stomach clench, fear bubbled underneath his skin, his hand touched the feather in his hoodie. A reassuring habit he had developed over the last half year. Bunny warned him about the sharp ninety degree turn, Jack left the tunnel in a spin.

Tooth flew into him, the wind outside was horrendous. He could barely hear her speak. His memory pinged, this is where he rested for a moment when he was taking Zoe home. _She went home_, he thought to himself as he looked over the forest. Or what was left of the forest. The wind stung his eyes as he saw what remained, there was a swirling vortex of wind, thick with broken and ripped up trees. A small centred hurricane, but without the height, just a large radius of spiralling wind. All focusing down into one point. Bunny was right about the screaming, it was high pitched and metallic. 'She's going to end up destroying everything! You've got to calm her down,' Bunny shouted.

'Jack!' Tooth shouted, 'we've got to get you to Zoe!' Jack nodded. 'We're going to help you along, North is first,' she yelled zipping off into the brutal wind. Jack stared in horror after her, Bunny disappeared down a hole. What did she mean that North was first? His question was answered when a large hand grabbed him by the hood and picked him up. It was North in his sleigh, he urged the deer on faster, the wind grew thicker and tore at their skin and faces.

'Go my friend!' He bellowed cheerily throwing him forward. Jack spun getting buffeted by the powerful waves. He pushed off a tree trunk that was hurled into him. He was loosing speed quickly. Just when he was about to be knocked back, Tooth appeared out of nowhere and grabbed his arm. She had done a whole circuit and caught a lot of momentum. She almost dragged Jack onwards.

'Be safe, Jack,' she said kissing him lightly on the cheek and letting the force snatch her. Jack smiled feeling his heart race. He was getting closer and closer, he was almost halfway there. He could hear Zoe's screams, it dragged blades down his insides. She sounded as if she was agony.

'Angel!' He shouted, _I'm coming!_ He screamed in his mind. His voice was drowned out in the ever increasing wind, but he was sure that she heard him. A pause in her wails send as much. He managed to surf over a tree that whistled past, only to be face with another that was plummeting towards him. He felt an arm wrap around his waist and he was yanked out the way and tossed forward. He lost a few seconds looking back to see Bunny give him salute before disappearing back into the tempest. Jack laughed, he was getting closer, he could smell her perfume. For six long months he had waited, searched, and felt his heart shrivel. She had been trying to protect him the whole time, from Pitch, Nathara and herself. Now it was time for him to save her. Now he was filled with determination to get to her, he needed to hold her, kiss her, finally tell her. In the corner of his eye he saw the branch before he could react. It smashed him into his temple and he saw dots. Blackness flooded his eyes for a brief moment but it was enough for the gale to envelop him.

A gold glittering line of sand wound up his arm and plucked him from his fall. _Sandy_, Jack thought in relief. Wind rushed past him as he was dragged through, Sandy glimpsed him for a second, giving him a bright smile and a thumbs up, before sending him onwards with a flick. It was the last push he needed to break through the wind barrier. He had reached the epicentre, it was calm and he could hear her crying. But it was misty and he could barely see his fingers in front of his face. Then, a soft pulsing light, he followed it, tumbling over things he couldn't see. The wind still roared on around him, but in this circle, there was none, just thick mist. He tripped on a large root, and then again on another. 'Zoe?' He called, but there was no reply, just her, crying. His heart throbbed and he began to run, the light was still beating, cutting through the fog. After falling over uprooted trees and roots he finally saw a pale shadow.

'Zoe!' He shouted.

A powerful pulse almost knocked from his feet. It happened again as he regained his balance. Her cries had got louder. Ignoring the blows that hit him he ran toward her. She was kneeling on the ground, her hands cradling her head. Her wings were half spread. Jack could see the blood that ran from her fingers where she had torn at her nails. Her hair fell over her face, she rocked back and forth, the light pulsing from her body. He dropped his staff and skidded to the floor pulling her hands from her forehead.

'Angel, Angel,' he said repeatedly trying to get her to look at him. 'It's me!'

'Jack,' she said eventually. A pulse emanated from her, bruising his chest with the force. She looked up, her face stained with tears. Jack couldn't help the sob that broke from his lips, he nodded clutching her hands. Her eyes were the glittering silver. 'I-I can't do it!' She wept. 'I can't control it!' She gave an agonised cry as a pulse tore from her body sending Jack flying. She threw her head back and screamed. Tremors shook underneath his feet as he got up. He returned to her fighting the force pushing him away. The energy inside her body was tearing her apart. 'There's too many!' She cried out. A memory hit Jack, it wasn't his, it was Zoe's.

_'She stood in front of the large glass window. It was snowing, she caught a flake in her hand and smiled at the thoughts and feelings that it brought. A flicker of pale light sparked from the ice crystal. She gasped and looked at herself. She was glowing, 'oh no!' She said. She thought that the discharge would have worked. But it built up just as fast. There was too much death in the world. A lot had changed in the last four thousand years. Where her body used to be able to cope with the influx, the change was too much. It was the stones. There was a reason she didn't carry them with her. She had to discharge again, 'oh god!' She swore. 'Jack,' her words were filled with fear. 'I, I can't risk it!' She felt a tear drip from her chin, she didn't even realise that she had been crying. A painful shudder wrecked her body, she looked around the busy street. 'I've got to get away from here, it's not safe.' She opened her wings and leapt into the air.' _

Jack grabbed her hands again and pulled her into his chest. 'Angel! You've got to control it,' he begged. He felt her shake her head and another waved ripped through them. 'You must!'

'I can't! There's too much death!' She whimpered. Her body bucked and writhed under his hands. The wind was beginning to pick up around them, the mist clearing. She sobbed, her nails digging into his arms as she clutched him.

'Please Zoe, my Angel, please,' he pleaded, burying his head in her hair. Her voice had grown hoarse. 'Replace it, replace the death,' Jack suggested. He tried to stand up, but she sagged in his arms. His fear tilted. He found that he was on the verge of hysterics. He wanted to shake her, force her to make it better. 'Re-replace it, with,' he thought. Zoe's scythe was thrown a few feet from them, he couldn't take his eyes from it the stones glowing brightly.

'Jack,' she whispered. 'You have to... go...'

'No!' He shook his head holding her up. 'No, no, no, no, I can't... I can't lose you, I'm, I'm, not strong enough,' his voice broke as he stuttered. She gasped a final shudder as she went limp, the light was getting brighter and a golden mist began to swirl from her mouth. It rose earthing itself in the gems that were embedded in the hilt of her weapon. The stones flickered and dimmed to a glassy black.

'Zoe?!' Jack said loudly, he shook her. 'Zoe?!' He repeated. 'Zoe, Angel, speak to me, Angel?' His voice became panicked as she didn't respond. He sagged to his knees, her limp body in his arms. He stared at her, the mist dissipated. The earth underneath them thundered under them, Jack didn't even notice, he couldn't see through the tears that filled his eyes. 'No!' He shouted. The wind around them was dying down. He didn't understand. She couldn't, die. She was the Spirit of Death. Tooth and the others managed to run through the weakening gale. Tooth gasped and her hands covered her mouth, she looked at Sandy who looked just as shocked as her. Jack raised his head, tears spilling from his eyes. 'S-She can't!' He sobbed, rocking back and forth with Zoe in his arms.

North wiped his eyes and stepped toward his distraught friend. 'Jack-'

'She can't leave me!' He shouted back. 'She can't. I can't... I'm not strong enough... I need her,' he ran his shaking hand through her hair. 'I need her,' he whispered. 'My Angel.' Tooth hugged Bunny tightly who held her in a one armed grip. Sandy had his head bowed and was wiping at his eyes. Minutes passed before North decided that they needed to leave. He picked up Jack's staff and knelt down to where he was cradling her. North held it out to him.

'Come Jack,' he said soothingly. Jack looked at him, his eyes red, he sniffed. North placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded. Jack lifted his hand and felt the weight of his staff in his palm. It symbolised everything about him. He felt the anger bubble. He was here and she wasn't. It wasn't fair. They were supposed to be together. He shifted and got up. He looked at his staff and then back to Zoe's still form. He clenched it so hard that his knuckles whitened. He glanced over to Tooth who was still hugging Bunny. All of the Guardians looked at him with concern. He leant down to her and placed the staff in her crossed hands. It was the only part of him he could give. He brushed a strand of hair from her lips and gently kissed her.

'I love you, my Angel,' he whispered pressing his head against hers.

He breathed in deeply and rose to his feet. He turned without looking back. He felt numb, the only source of emotion was his heart. It felt as if it was going to burst out of his chest. North followed him a hand on his shoulder. Jack didn't say anything or look at any of them while North opened a portal. Tooth took Jack's hand as they walked through.

**I ask that you read all of this. I mean all of it.**

**First off, I know that I normally review at the beginning but I wanted to start the chapter. So I shall do it here. **

**Guest – thank you. **

**Dex Zabeth – I hope this is good enough.**

**Megyara – I hope this is good enough for you. Thanks for your support.**

**Cheashire cat – I hope it was epic enough.**

**ChocyKitty – I will never be surprised by your randomness. **

**O0Shinahi0o – No need to be sorry, I hoped you found this breathtaking and beautiful.**

**Soaringphoenix86 – I cannot thank you enough. I hope this was enough.**

**Seabiscuit – without you I wouldn't have ever got this far.**

**DevineGuardianAngel – Thank you! I hope I didn't make you wait too long.**

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**You really think I would leave it at that?**

The portal closed behind them. A breeze echoed around the area. It moved Zoe's hair across her face. The staff in her hand rocked. Her scythe began to gather dew as the air cooled. The gems in the hilt glittered. Their colours lost as they earthed the Grim Reaper's essence. The sun had set in the last half hour and the moon had begun to rise.

The pale blue stone on Jack's staff began to glow.

'I love you, my Angel.'

…

The Guardians left Jack alone, North simply took him to his room and shut the door behind himself. Jack didn't move for about half an hour. He simply stood there looking at the floor. The last six months had been hell. Even worse than his time with Pitch. Somehow. Now, now there was nothing. He was empty. Eventually he moved to his bed and laid on the top. He opened the window, but couldn't even feel the cold breeze that invaded the room. He took the feather out of his pocket and pressed it against his lips, he pulled off his hoodie and t-shirt and lay there simply in his jeans, the feather resting on his cheek. After a while it became soaked with his tears. He fell asleep.

A weight on the bed awoke him. He rolled over and pulled her close to him. She moaned and wrapped her arms over shoulders. Jack held her around the waist, her body fitted his perfectly. Her perfume invaded his senses, it was driving him wild. Hungrily he crushed her lips beneath his, she moaned under his touch, he pushed her against the bed pinning her in place. Her arms tightened around him. This woman did things to his mind he didn't believe possible. The need, the want she awoke in him. 'Angel,' he whispered. She pulled his closer. He knew it was cruel, that this was just a dream.

'Jack,' she whispered his name, it was fuel to the fire. He kissed her wanting to claim her as his own, Zoe could feel her lips beginning to swell with the ferocity with which he marked her. A ripple of pleasure cascaded down her body, she could taste the sweetness of him, his tongue gently touched hers. She opened her mouth allowing his to slip between her lips. The heat that rolled off him surrounded her. She couldn't help herself she felt lost in his embrace. He could taste the salt of her tears, the welling of sadness bubbled inside. He felt as if Pitch was still torturing him. He wanted to wake, to stop living this perfect dream. 'Jack, I love you,' she breathed into his ear. It almost broke him, he broke their embrace and threw himself from her.

'You died!' He shouted covering his head with his hands. 'You died! You're not here... you left me.' He sobbed his shoulders shaking. The moon light that streamed into his room was blocked and he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

'Jack,' she said. 'Wake up.'

'No, no, no!' He sobbed. If he woke up she would leave, but if he didn't then she would be out of his reach, yet so close.

'Jack,' she repeated, it followed by a brief sharp sensation of pain.

He jumped, awake. She had pinched him.

'Jack,' Zoe said smiling. Jack gaped. She was kneeling opposite him on the bed, the moonlight casting silver highlights in her hair and wings. He stuttered.

'Are you-?'

'I never left,' she smiled. 'I told you I can't die.'

Jack scoffed. A chuckle breaking from his chest. She smiled, tears in her eyelashes. He reached out with a hand and cupped her cheek. She leaned into his embrace. He let out a deep breath. His heart throbbed in his chest. He wasn't dreaming. All of that, it was all real. She smiled and looked over at the end of the bed. It was his staff. Then he noticed that the gem had turned black. Realization dawned in hie eyes. He began to laugh. Zoe joined in throwing her arms around him.

'Oh Angel!' He laughed. 'I thought I had lost you.' He kissed the inside of her throat. 'I am never letting you go again. Without you, my life is worth nothing. You're no Spirit of Death Angel.' Zoe was about to speak when Jack hushed her. 'You're the Spirit of Kindness,' he said. 'You are my Angel.'

'I love you Jack Frost,' Zoe whispered into his ear. He held her tightly leaning back onto the bed. She moved back and laid on his chest, the kissed, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

They did.

Under the moonlight, for them, the earth moved.

**Well, that is it truly finished. I hope you liked it. I would like to thank all who helped and reviewed the story. This has been a fantastic journey and I'm glad you were all here to join it with me. My deepest thanks. Please leave a review to let me know what you thought of the chapter.**


	16. Sequel results

**Sequel now up: Ribbons tangled. **

**Go see!**


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